|
With the allip gone from existence, Robyyn is able to turn his attention to the monstrosity made of human remains. The golem moves out of the way to avoid some of the fire but the heat seems to affect it causing it to move slower than normal.
However, even in it's slow state, it deflects Tuthil's strike away and stands firm against Amun's kick with some mistimed footing.
~~~
|
Untir sighs in satisfaction at bringing down the Allip, but he realised that he has become too focused, neglecting the welfare of his team. "Tuthil!" he calls out in concern. He moves closer to bring his seriously injured friend with range, and again calls forth his spirits to burst out. This time, however, they bear with them divine healing power.
|
|
With the tides turning to favour on the Pathfinder, a series of well timed strikes take down the threat of carrion golem.
The Ulfen man marvels at the Pathfinder's prowess and offers you passage on his ship should you ever need it. "You lads are mighty strong, and I respect that. I hope to never need to fight you." And soon enough, they take their leave.
With the threat gone, and your discovery of what you believe is a broken sage jewel, you retrieve the weathered geode passed on to you by Amenopheus to contact him relaying your findings. In response, he tells you to wait there for his arrival.
|
|
If you will allow Tuthil attempt to treat the disease with heal skill and saves. I believe 2 saves are required.
If not then Tuthil will buy remove disease spell casting services 5cl * 3 lev * 10gp = 150gp?
for +4 to Fort save.
for +4 to Fort save.
Thanks for GMing the game!
|
|
Hoprah heaves a sigh of relief as the carrion golem is finally struck down. "Whew, that was a tough one..."
Once the Ulfen warriors have left, Hoprah shows her companions what she had discovered about the red shards, asks if any of them are perhaps more knowledgable about the Arcane than she.
... later... Hoprah will ask Amenopheus if this is what he was hoping to find and what more he would like us to do at this point. And she will ask the Ruby Sage to tell us what happened to him, as well as to the dead Pathfinders that we found in the ruin. Also, she will ask both of them if they know how we can free the elemental creature we met and how to permanently end the haunt we encountered.
|
|
As promised, an hour passes and Amenopheus steps into the chamber following the trail of destruction left behind from the past and you are able to relay to him your experiences including that of the broken jewel. At first he bemoans the loss of the jewel, but he quickly realizes that the shards hold a glimmer of magic and may still contain several of the Ruby Sage’s memories.
"I was hoping for more..." He says without elaborating, but won't reveal what he has in his mind. "...But what you've found here perhaps will shed light further on the jewel sages. I believe we may yet be able to find answers through the ruby."
Amenopheus chants and uses his magic in attempt to contact the spirit of the Ruby Sage. A nearby corpse slowly animates and is restored to how she must have appeared in life. A beautiful Khellid white haired woman, with the left side of her body burnt.
She speaks softly but with a sense of authority, "Greetings strangers, while I do not know you, I thank you for putting my colleague's spirit to rest, the restless spirit whom you put to repose just. You may wonder how I know, and it is through the gem that I have maintained my awareness of my surroundings."
She listens intently to Hoprah's questions and responses in good will,"You seek answers, but my memories are corrupt, but I shall tell you waht I remember in hope my story will enlighten you. It was during the time when the Jeweled Sages was persecuted by the nation of Qadira that we have found shelter in this fortress. I, the Ruby, with the Emerald and Topaz Sages hid here while we waited the purge to end sustained only by our magic. However, the isolation prolonged without end in sight driving us to madness and conflict resulting in violence and death. The last sage, emerald, took his own life in hopes to stop the corruption but in that moment of lucidity became the spirit you saw before yourself today. The ruins became cursed, and a few brave adventurers who threaded in shortly after, when the Emerald was at the height of his strength perished at the mercy of the cursed ruins."
"A day before you wandered here, the remaining jewels still remained here alongside my shards, but were taken by a thief known as the man Kafar. His intentions are to deliver the jewels to the Diamond Sage in a region known as thee Pillar of the Sun..."
Amenopheus and the Ruby Sage share a concerned look at this moment, with Amenopheus voicing his thoughts, "But why? Why would the Diamond Sage collect the gems instead of finding new candidates? This is puzzling and worrying, and even more to know that the jewels are in the hands of Kafar, whom I know as an Aspis associate. Nothing good comes from this."
The Ruby Sage shares Amenopheus concerns upon hearing his thoughts, "If you are willing to chase this thief named Kafar to reclaim the stolen jewels, and find what the Diamond Sage plans for, I will provide what limited power I have to assist you, I have little time, and I bid you good will." As she speaks her last words, her corpse slumps and returns to its desiccated form. An unusual wind fills the room after, causing you to feel chills.
With the thief Kafar headed to the Pillars of the Sun, Amenopheus teleports the you back to Eto to resupply. He warns you that the Pillars of the Sun is a very dangerous region of towering rocks, searing wind, and terrible beasts. With the fate of his order riding on your success, he announces that he will accompany them to Sanctum of the Sages, if you wish to continue the search for answers...
|
|
The growing light of predawn filters in through a window of the two-story building that Amenopheus has rented in Eto, and the aging Garundi man takes a seat on one of the cushions set out for this meeting. He produces a sealed letter from his robe, placing it in the middle of the floor before speaking. “Good morning, Pathfinders. As you know, we have had our share of setbacks recently. Not only have the emerald and topaz gems sacred to my order slipped through our fingers, but we also faced the frustration of finding nothing but fragments of the once great ruby. Thankfully, its power is not lost entirely, and through the Ruby Sage’s blessing, it lives on in you. I am thankful that you have agreed to act on her behalf and see this through to the end."
“As we speak, the scoundrels who seized the two gems cross the Pillars of the Sun to meet their employer, the cryptic Diamond Sage.” He sighs heavily. “What she intends to do with the gems is a mystery, but the sage jewels are too important for me to take risks with. If the power that you wield is representative of a shattered jewel’s potential, imagine what one might accomplish with three undamaged stones! Until we know what her plans are, it is paramount that we get to the jewels first."
“Kafar and Nefti have a rudimentary map of the Pillars of the Sun, and last night I found a bartender who spotted them poring over it between drinks. She recalled little of the map, and she could not make sense of the marks or annotations;however, the right spells have allowed me to probe her mind and determine Kafar and Nefti’s entry point into the mountains. We will follow them from there.” With a somewhat chagrined smile, Amenopheus adds, “It may be that they will lead us to the Sanctum of the Sages, a hidden complex I have long suspected might be in this area.”
He stands and announces, “Prepare yourselves quickly. We shall leave momentarily.”
Additionally, you received a missive from VC Noden Balentiir earlier this morning, and you start to understand the powers bestowed upon you by the Ruby Sage.
|
|
"Can you tell us anything more about Kafar or Nefti? What sorts of villains are they? How can we recognize them? And do I understand you correctly that you will be accompanying us? That will be an honor undreamed of!"
After reading Balentir's letter. "What can you tell us of what happened to Hestia?"
|
|
After Amenopheus answers Hoprah's question about Hestia, an answer that interests Robyyn as well, he probes in his own way.
"What can you tell us about the Sanctum of the Sages. I imagine only rumors, if it's a place you've never been yourself... but rumors carry truths as well. What is known of this place... and what is said of it in addition to that?"
|
|
|
|
Amenopheus attempts to best answer each of you, but still leaves a few questions unanswered “I know nothing of the pair accept that they are agents of the Aspis. To add to the complexity of our mission, I could not scry on Kafar and Nefti, and teleporting to an arbitrary point in the Pillars of the Sun would be a fool’s errand. Our best chance is to enter the mountains close to their starting point, and then follow their tracks. Knowing the importance of this mission, it would be only be in my interest to see through to it's success, hopefully I would be able to lend my hand to you.”
With regards to Hestia's reference, Amenopheus shakes his head as he knows nothing of the Pathfinder Venture Captain's history with the Aspis.
With a heavy face, the sage begins to explain the history of what he knows of the Sanctum of the Sages. “The Jeweled Sages were an order of scholars who took an oath to preserve the culture and arts of the golden age of Osirion. Their venture proved controversial, for the rulers that followed the Song Pharaoh were offended by the sages’ pretensions and deemed the order subversive. To escape persecution and safeguard the lore of our land, the sages built their headquarters in a hidden location. It makes sense that they should choose an isolated place like the Pillars of the Sun as grounds for their refuge. The conquest of Osirion by Kelishite forces during Osirion’s Second Age resulted in the death of most if not all of the sages. What lies in the Sanctum is left up to our imagination."
|
|
"To be part of this expedition to recover the lost sage jewels, legends of our people, is an honour and a opportunity of many lifetimes. I can only seek to do my best in this." Untir bows to the Sapphire Sage with great reverence. "To have to the chance to step into the mythical Sanctum of the Sages..." For once, Untir is lost for words.
When he eventually recovers, he asks Amenopheus with great deference. "I am unfamiliar with the Pillar of the Suns. What might we expect there?"
|
|
If you weren't worried before, you might now be after Amenopheus bluntly responds to the question of the Pilar of the Suns. “The Pillars of the Sun are a mountain range south of Eto inhabited by many terrible creatures. It is a dangerous area of harsh desert and barren, rocky terrain, full of cliffs and chasms." However he doesn't choose to elaborate further but gives a wait and see look.
|
|
Amenopheus wrinkled face smirks, "You need not worry about travel, arrangements will be made."
|
|
As some of the team go about procuring items for the journey, Untir makes his way around the city looking for information about Nefti and Kafar. When the party meets again, he shares what he has found out. "A rather tipsy Nefti was seen playing the flute in various taverns throughout Eto over the past several weeks. He hasn’t been seen for three days, so that it likely when they left. Kafar, was spotted visiting a local herbalist and apothecary. So we could hit some taverns and the apothecary to find out a bit more before we set off. I am especially curious to find out what Kafar was acquiring."
|
|
Returning to meet Amenopheus, he welcomes you into the lodge and ask you to sit around in a circle. "I hope you are ready, as time is of the essence, we will not be travelling there conventionally." He smirks, as he ask all of you to hold hands.
As he begins chanting, your head spins and stomach churns as the room around you melts away into a mesh of colours! they slowly form again into solid shapes, but it seems to take forever for some of you. Eventually you find yourself at the edge of the Pillars of the Sun! "Please, take a time to compose yourself. Teleportation is not easy to getting used to." Amenopheus comments.
It doesn't take very long for you to find the path used by Kafar and Nefti to enter the mountains as the sun peaks over the horizon to give you a little light. Temperatures continue to rise all through the morning, and after four hours of travel, the group reaches a place where the winding path through the spires splits, and so does the footprint!
Without knowing which of the two agents has the sage jewels, Amenopheus decides that the best choice is to split up. "I shall take the path down here, and you can take this one." He suggest to all of you, "Rest assure I can handle myself alone, and that I will ensure to keep contact with you. Good luck, and may the gods ever be in your favour."
The path leads them to a series of switchbacks that ascend the steep side of a gorge, and approximately one hour after Amenopheus’s departure, they reach an immense cliff where the tracks simply end.
|
|
Hoprah's stomach feels a bit queasy from the teleportation magick, but then she recalls that she is now a mythic hero, and quickly stifles any impulse to retch she might have felt.
As the heat rises, she pulls out a wand of endure elements and uses it on herself and any of her companions who need it. .
As Amenopheus leaves them, Hoprah feels a bit uneasy, but then recalls that they are mythic heroes now, and therefore that nothing can possibly go wrong.