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Solstice is a northerner, with a moderate Shoanti accent. She bears the earmarks of an ifrit outsider. Her skin is brass in color and her hair is white, but iridescent, almost gnomishly. Rather than the jewelry typical for most of her kind, she sports elaborate and very colorful tattoos more in line with her Shoanti ancestry, though the two small nubbins that poke from her brow are pierced and sport a pair of matched rubies dangling from short thin gold strands.
Note: The jewelry changes from time to time. A girl's got to accessorize.
She sits quietly in a chair, back erect but chin lowered demurely.
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The Professor is lithe 60 plus man with a clean-shaven head. His obvious agility contrasts his sun cracked skin which adds half a decade to his appearance. His past and current, but more controlled, reliance on alchemical creations of his own making has added another 5 years to his face.
He has a rapier on his hip and is perpetually rolling a small vial of reduce person between his fingers. He wears a long grey trench coat over finely crafter mail and a scarf over his the low part of his face. Observant pathfinders would note the scarf hides a tooth partially blackened from the crew he packs between his lip and gums.
The door knob turns and then opens to reveal a.....man? This humanoid figure has the standard basics and shape of a human, though the proportions are slightly off from that of a human. It stands around 6'3" with, what appears to be dark stone for skin which occasionally chips off as it moves. These features would lead one to assume that this is an Oread due to the stoney skin and reflective sheen that makes its appearance. However, all specific proportions as mentioned previously do not lean toward Oread but more demonic in nature. This creature wears a cloth that wraps loosely around its body and covers a large majority of the torso region and nothing else. It also wears some sandals, a familiar amulet, a standard cloak, and a belt that constricts the cloth at the waist.
He gives a nod, little bits of stone crumbling away, "I am Obsidian."
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Following on the heels of Obsidian, and standing almost a foot shorter, is a slender elf with long white hair, fine features and what appears to be expensive yet sturdy adventuring clothes. Many pouches festoon his belt, and an intricate headbands sits upon his furrowed brow.
He takes everyone in with a glare that looks like it could turn fire to ice.
"Good I am glad you are all here. My name is Sargon. Our mission briefing should begin shortly so pay attention. I won't suffer idiots or slackers.", he says with tone of finality.
After a moment of waiting, he stares around the room to each of the group, obviously annoyed by something.
"Fine. Don't tell us your names. Let me just guess." he says abrasively.
Pointing to Solstice, he says with a mildly softer tone, "You, with the brass colored skin. You are obviously ifrit. That's a point in your favor, so I will be nice. I think I will call you Ember. You are welcome."
Shifting his gaze to the Professor he says three clear words each filled with disdain. "Old Man Leather"
Looking to Obsidian, he merely nods and says, "You already introduced yourself, and I have to say I would have called you that anyway."
He then smiles disarmingly and says to the group, "Don't worry. Should the time come for me to be diplomatic, I can play that game too. Now just isn't that time."
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Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir rubs sleep from his eyes as faint pre-dawn light filters into his office. He shutters the window as a thrush begins singing loudly in the garden below before gesturing for everyone to have a seat and addressing the matter at hand. “I’ve received a request from the Diamond Sage, Tahonikepsu, the leader of the Jeweled Sages. You may be familiar with her as an associate of Amenopheus, longtime friend of the Society and our trusted expert on matters of Ancient Osirion. She has asked the Pathfinder Society to send its best Osirionologists to the Pillars of the Sun to help explore a sealed-off area in the sages’ stronghold there—so I have recommended you.”
He searches his desk for quill and ink and scribbles out two notes, sealing one with wax imprinted with the Way of the Open Road. “I’ve made arrangements with a caravan to Eto and provided directions from there to the Pillars of the Sun. Once you’ve reached the Pillars, Tahonikepsu has promised a guide to see you the rest of the way. We have maps and sketches from the last expedition if you want to familiarize yourself with the site, and I have also withdrawn several scrolls from our reserves in case your Ancient Osiriani is rusty. Feel free to arrange alternate transport—at your own expense. Don’t try using magic to reach the sanctum directly, though; there’s no telling where you’d end up.”
The venture-captain rises from his seat to see everyone off, and hands over the two letters. “Show the first letter to the caravan master. The sealed one is your letter of introduction to the Diamond Sage. Remember, the Jeweled Sages are invaluable allies in our exploration of Ancient Osirion, and it’s a privilege to be invited into their sanctum. Treat everything there with care, and help to preserve the region’s past.”
"Any questions?"
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The professor pulls out notes and paper (pathfinder chronicles) consulting them quickly, taps a stick against his head (heighten awareness) before stuffing everything into his bag.
He concisely provides the relevant information. Then looks hopefully to see what else this obviously much smarter than average group has to offer.
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"Your breadth of knowledge on these topics is impressive." Sargon says, with an almost venomous tone. Then he adds, "For a human."
"Since we won't be there for some time let me ruminate for a moment and I am sure I can elucidate further upon the subjects."
He snaps of two quick spells...
... and then explains in condescending fashion the information that the professor failed to discover.
Obsidian cocks his head slightly while looking at Sargon, "If you so smart why you have to use magic to help know things?"
Obsidian shrugs, causing dirt and rubble to shower the floor. "If you say so," he says simply, obviously not really seeing the difference.
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A young woman with extremely fair skin, long red flowing hair and piercing green eyes finally rushes into the briefing. Dressed in a long green robe with the hood currently draped down over her back, she seems to radiate a dark energy despite her youthful, attractive, although currently somewhat ruffled appearance. "Sorry, I'm late! Once I heard about this mission, I got so caught up doing research that I completely lost track of the time!"
Fluttering and sqwawking along behind her is a large black raven, who eventually settles down on her shoulder and takes a searching look across the assembled Pathfinders.
"CAAAAWWW!! Bunch of bookworms! CAAAAAWWW! I'm bored already!"
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Coming in just in time to catch the rest of the group sharing all that they know, Seldanna looks a bit miffed and crosses her arms in a bit of a huff. Just my luck, stuck with a bunch of know-it-all men who think they're the smartest ones in the room. Oh, well at least we get to work with Tahonikepsu again!
"I'm Seldanna!" she offers. "...and this my all-too-familiar, Lonan! Oh, and don't even think about giving me one of those silly nicknames!" her brilliant green eyes glare across at Sargon almost daring him to call her 'Red' or some other frivolous name.
"They send me to keep you weak fleshies alive. You stay behind me, you live. You run in front of me, you life in you hand. Last mission two died because they run ahead..." Obsidian delivers this casually and matter-of-factly.
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"Everybody is so relaxed and well adjusted, you are all getting invited to the mission aftrer party."
"What is known about this sealed area? What is its purpose? Are the defenses known? At 26 ounces a day how much alcohol should I bring for these trip?"
"If any of these very serious pathfinder smiles are they fired or do I just report them to the VC?"
To obsidian, "I'm happy to let you get punched, and bit but if you die, we would be with our bard, so I will stand up front beside you. I gave up on running away 5 years ago and I don't intend to start again."
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Sargon quietly takes out a rod and offers it to Solstice. With a low voice, he leans in and whispers, "Solstice is a beautiful name. It suits you." Then after the briefest of pauses he continues, "I have it on good authority that you have some considerable skill with fire magic, and this may be able to enhance that skill. If this is incorrect, it will not offend me."
Turning back to the group, the elven aranist takes a casual stance as they ask their questions and make their comments.
"You know, for a human, you just might be adequate Old Man Leather.", Sargon says matter-of-factly.
Norden chuckles at the Professor's cheek, "Sure, sure. I expect a fully documented Chronicle on each illicit smirk. Now as for the Pillars, the area's been sealed for a long damned time, so I'd expect things that don't need much from the outside world, undead, constructs, bound fiends, traps - your standard tomb-threats. It's apparently some kind of a library, but more than that will be up to you all to figure out.
Oh!" A thought strikes him, "Almost forgot to give you these."
He hands over four scrolls , and an Osiriani field primer .
You encounter no noteworthy obstacles in the journey west to Eto and then south to the Pillars of the Sun.
There, two sage acolytes await you: a handsome young Garundi man in white robes named Garai Weheliye and a sweating, middle-aged Taldan woman named Helena Arendall. They greet you excitedly before leading you along a pilgrim's path among the peaks.
They carry no map with them, but seem to be checking their path with occasional cantrips
It should be possible to copy down a map, but since Tahonikepsu sent guides, it might be considered impolite. Though you could always hide your efforts...
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Sargon quietly takes out a rod and offers it to Solstice. With a low voice, he leans in and whispers, "Solstice is a beautiful name. It suits you." Then after the briefest of pauses he continues, "I have it on good authority that you have some considerable skill with fire magic, and this may be able to enhance that skill. If this is incorrect, it will not offend me."
Solstice looks a little surprised to be addressed so nicely, or addressed at all. She smiles a smile that lights up her face and responds in a quiet voice, "Thank-you so very much. Some day I hope to be able to buy one myself, but I just bought this frightfully expensive robe and will have to wait a bit."
I have a reputation!? My parents would be so excited.
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"When do you expect we will arrive?"
When we get close the Professor will drop some chemicals in his eyes and ears, pack some chew under is lip, and down a pill followed by some old law whisky.
"These thing have to be timed just right."
The Professor makes no attempt learn the maps. The guides seem competent.
Obsidian confidently strides along the entire way. His stamina seems endless.
Garai notices Sargon's notes with a pained expression, and does ask him to stop, though the Professor's efforts go undetected.
Eventually the twisting path comes to an end, seemingly in a solid rockface as at a distance, illusions disguise the structure’s features. Within about a hundred feet, however, the illusion fades, revealing a beautifully engraved facade and door carved directly into the mountain face. There's a small tent community set up outside the sanctum, where you can see a few acolytes meditating. Helena escorts you inside the entrance hall where Tahonikepsu awaits.
Ornate rugs and a small pile of sitting pillows create a small soft space in the marble room, where a finely dressed Garundi woman sits by a fountain. She looks up from a puzzle of broken pottery fragments as your two escorts announce your entrance. After thanking and dismissing Garai and Helena, she beckons you all forward. “Welcome, Pathfinders. You and your venture-captain have my thanks for agreeing to aid us. I am Tahonikepsu, the Diamond Sage. I believe you have a letter for me?”
She carefully reads the letter before once more addressing you, "Well, the venture-captain has great faith in you. I shall extend you the same courtesy.” She gestures for everyone to sit before continuing. “My sage jewel grants me some knowledge of this complex, and my own research has confirmed many of those memories. That said, the site’s long abandonment has made exploration difficult. I believe the next most productive step would be to reopen the archive, whose interior has defied out attempts at divinations. On the lowest floor of the library reside the written history of our order and a crystalline artifact attuned to the sage jewels. I would like you to explore the area, inventory the contents, and report your findings to me. Please be careful; these halls contain delicate, irreplaceable cultural treasures and writings.”
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His eyes filled with emotion, Sargon speaks to Tahonikepsu with a simmering intensity he has yet to show to anyone.
"The knowledge of such an age long past is incredibly important to me. I am honored to have been selected for such an important task, as are we all. You may rest assured that if it is within our power, no harm will come to any remaining relics or writings."
Then after pausing, seemingly to gather himself, he adds, "I assume that you will not be accompanying us. Something I find interesting is that despite being unsuccessful with divination magic and having not opened the archive before now, you seem to know much about what is inside. Where did you come by such knowledge?"
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The Professor looks around the two fire bugs and thinks, "I wonder if I can make a protection from fire extract that will work on all the books without ruining the ink. Seems unlikely give the time."
"Tahonikepsu, we will be as precise a surgeons. Nothing but the dangers inside will come to any harm. Rapier-like precision is this groups modus operandi."
Tahonikepsu smiles, though the movement seems to be more of her eyes than her mouth, “I am glad to hear it," she favors Seldanna with a welcoming nod, I do have some reason beyond your captain's letter to expect competence and proper reverence for this place. Some of the protective enchantments should still hold, but rampant destruction would be a tragedy.
"As for what knowledge I have gleaned, I have expended considerable effort communing with the memories of my predecessor, who was so kind as to store her memories and those of her proteges in the sage jewel I carry. Even then, not every memory is perfect, and her knowledge is limited to what she personally knew or saw."
"Do you have any further questions, or are you prepared?"
Obsidian stayed silent during the meeting with Tahonikepsu. But, when the leathery human rushes forward, Obsidian sighs a heavy sigh and attempts to keep up.
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"I will just cast a few preparatory spells and then I will be ready to go."
While the Professor walks up to the door, followed closely by Obsidian, Sargon takes out a wand and surrounds himself with an invisible yet tangible field of force. Once that is done he sets about heightening his awareness and focusing the investigative side of his mind.
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"I will join the party.'
The Professor taps himself with a couple sticks: one is comically long for a wand, and the other has a faint red grain. Long strider and heighten awareness go up.
Then he drinks a barkskin extract, and a heroism potion which he spits back into the bottle (alchemical allocation).
Tahonikepsu leads you to the adjoining hall where a 5-foot-diameter crystal hovers a short distance off the floor. The stone hums in response to her reverent chant in Ancient Osiriani; the glyphs on the west door fade and the stone cracks open and melts into the surrounding walls. Beyond, a hallway illuminated with magical light extends 30 feet and then descends down a twisting flight of stairs.
The Diamond Sage thanks you once more, and welcomes you to rest with the acolytes outside "Whenever you require."
With that she departs, seeming glad to no longer be in the relatively confined space.
After a descent of some fifty feet, you arrive in a columned chamber that is, frankly, quite lovely, with fragrant scents float on the warm breeze that circulates around you. Jasmine, grapevines, mandrakes, and anemones grow from pots hanging around the room, vibrant and fruitful despite the lack of sunlight. Sycamore saplings fill the alcoves, and a phosphorescent moss has overgrown some of the walls and ceiling. A great seal bearing a written inscription covers the center of the floor.
Oddly enough, the chamber seems almost to dissolve into mist as it gets farther along...
Obsidian walks forward and waits patiently for the group to decide where they would like to go.
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Solstice casts a heightened awareness and mage armor from her wands and will fire up a detect magic and scan with it. She will carry the rod of empowerment in her right hand and wand of magic missiles in her left hand and stow her longspear. She's quiet as the group moves along, but her demure posture starts to leave her as the excitement of a new mission starts to embolden her.
Obsidian looks over to Professor doubtfully, but says nothing.
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Seldanna also joins in with the magical preparations, tapping herself with a wand of mage armor and applying a burst of false life to herself with a spell. Lonan snuggles down into the hood of her cloak, which hangs loosely at her back. To bring a little bit more light to the room, she activates her Wayfinder.
A rare smile crosses her face, as the young witch takes in the sights of the first, beautiful room. "Life is fleeting. Memory is eternal" she quietly reads the incscription. [/b]"Oddly comforting yet strangely disturbing at the same time!"[/b]
As you examine the room you don't notice any mechanical or magical traps, but there are a few items of concern. Solstice notes that there seem to be magical auras almost everywhere she looks, though she hasn't yet had time to decipher them further, everyone can hear crackling, banging and shuffling noises that get louder with every moment, and Sargon can see one of their causes - a sizable creature of living flame that emerges into the mist seemingly out of nowhere!
Seldanna
Sargon
Obsidian
Solstice
Professor
Assorted Combatants
[spoiler=Knowledge (Planes) DC 15 (Sargon only)] This is a large fire elemental, and a particular fierce looking example of the breed at that.
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"We should be very careful with these plants. I believe they are considered extinct beyond these walls.", the elf says upon seeing the flora present.
"I see a T-Junction corridor through the mists ahead." Sargon says just moments before the large fire elemental appears.
"Oh look! A fire elemental! Fantastic!" The arcanist says excitedly.
Then his voice takes on a crackling and roaring quality as he speaks the language of flame to the elemental.
Sargon motions for Solstice to group up as he moves closer to the group and casts a communal spell of resist fire upon he allies