Jennix raises his hands. "Ho there with the sword! We mean no harm, only passing through." He says in Common, then repeats in Tien.
The spirit of the Tian man continues to stand in his defensive pose with is katana held in front of him.
"Do you speak..." Terflynn begins to ask in every language he knows.
The man is unresponsive to Terflynn's question.
Terflynn thinks that it is real.
Jennix stares harder at the image. "Doesn't he bear a resemblace to Ameiko?
"Well, I'm not sure what to do about this. He doesn't seem aggressive, but I fear any attempt to cross his path may result in violence. And I'm not even sure how that would play out." Terflynn says, thinking.
"Regardless, we need to figure out what is down here." Zack adds to the discussion.
Jennix bows to the image. "Greetings ancestor of Ameiko Kajitsu."
As Jennix speaks to the spirit, its eyes bulge and he freezes motionless. He lowers his sword and responds in a mournful voice (in Common), "I. . . know. . . this. . . naaaaammmmmmeeeeeeeee. . . " A moment later, he raises his arms and cries out in anguish, then turns to face you, tears of dust running down his incorporeal cheeks. He says, "Take the Seal away from here-take it to my child-it is no longer safe-and I am no longer worthy of guarding it. . . "
The spirit points toward the wall to your left where you now notice a secret door. With an agonized cry, the spirit flies apart into dust and is destroyed.
"Good... work?" Terflynn hesitantly acknowledges.
Miso gives a faint smile as Jennix mentions Ameiko's name and the spirit reacts. Then, after it vanishes, Miso kneels and puts his hand above the dust for a moment. Korada guide your soul to its rest, friend, he says in a barely-audible whisper. We shall endeavor to do as you request.
Moving along to the secret chamber, the party finds that it is only half-excavated-the eastern portion of the room remains a rough cavern wall. Three identical darkwood chests bound with bronze sit against the base of this rough wall.
Destiny, fate, or perhaps the echoes of the servant who once guarded what lies within the central chest cause it to pop open at the first touch. Inside the chest appears to be another container.
Jennix peers carefully at each chest, looking for traps. If he finds none, he tries to pick the locks.
Jennix is unable to pick the locks!
After a few minutes at each, Jennix picks the locks. Inside the two chests are several items: amulet of mighty fists +1, mossy disk ioun stone (KN: history), a cauldron of brewing, and lenses of detection.
The middle chest simply contains the mysterious box.
Jennix casts a magic detecting cantrip on the mysterious box.
Jennix notes a strong abjuration aura on the box but it is beyond his skill to identify exactly what it is.
"I can probably examine that box tomorrow if you're having trouble, Jennix. Of course, I may be too busy brewing more potions..." Terflynn says as he casts a lustful eye towards the cauldron.
Jennix shrugs. "Well enough, I suppose. Reaching for the box, he says. "If something happens when I touch this, heal me please."
Jennix opens the box to reveal a stone statuette of a dragon. This is, however, the last thing everyone sees before the black out.
An army of terrible fiends with burning skin, glaring eyes, and sharp tusks, wearing strange armor and wielding exotic weapons emerges in a storm from a vast forest, then descends upon a nation populated by Tian people.
A young man dressed in royal robes stands over a simple well, a friend at his side. Suddenly, the friend grows nearly three times in size and is sheathed in a frightening suit of jade armor. The jade warrior draws a sword and strikes down his royal friend, then holds the bloody sword aloft in triumph.]
A young Tian man hands a beautiful sword to a richly dressed Ulfen man in exchange for a bag of gold.
Your friend Ameiko lays before you and wakes from her deep sleep-but she is no longer dressed in her normal gear but instead in the finery of an empress She rises from sleep not in the humble Varisian caravan awaiting you but from a resting spot within the arms of a jade throne.
As the visions fade, your minds are imparted with new knowledge. You all recognized the land invaded by fiends as Minkai and you know that the man murdered by the jade warrior was Emperor Shigure of Minkai. You know that Ameiko Kaijitsu's true family name is Amatatsu, one of the five royal families of Minkai-indeed, the last surviving royal family. You recognize the young Tian man with the sword as Ameiko's grandfather, Rokuro Kaijitsu, formerly Amatatsu Tsutoku, selling the family's legendary sword Suishen to the Ulfen merchant Fynn Snaevald in the city of Kalsgard to finance his family's flight and exile. You know that Suisen is intelligent and can impart much more knowledge of the Amatatsu family's legacy if recovered. Further, you know that Ameiko herself is the heir of her line. Further, you come to realize all of the powers of the Amatatsu Seal (dragon statuette) and its warding box-including the danger of leaving the warding box open, which would allow the enemies of the Amatatsu family to once more track the Amatatsu Seal.
Aura strong (all schools); CL 20th
Slot none; Weight -
This stone statuette of a dragon is one of five royal seals of Minkai, and represents the Amatatsu family's divine right to rule the empire of Minkai. Should no Amatatsus of pure blood be able to take up that charge, however, the Amatatsu Seal can invest the right to rule as an Amatatsu in any number of living humanoid hosts. These Amatatsu scions often experience a series of visions of the past, present, and possible future.
The Amatatsu Seal has a daily allotment of 5 charges that it can use to cast the following spells on an Amatatsu scion: cure serious wounds, remove curse, remove disease, or restoration. Each casting uses up 1 daily charge. Alternatively, the seal can cast heal on an Amatatsu scion, but doing so expends all 5 charges. Finally, and only at the seal's discretion, it can cast resurrection on an Amatatsu scion, but doing so renders its spellcasting powers useless for a month.
The Amatatsu Seal itself radiates strong magic, and those with the proper resources can sense this magic across oceans and continents, allowing it to be tracked across any distance. Originally meant to allow its rightful owners the ability to track it if stolen, this feature makes it dangerous to remove the seal from its warding box, for as long as the warding box is open, the oni of the Five Storms can track it.
One final ward exists on the Amatatsu Seal, confounding attempts to whisk it quickly away from its homeland but also making returning a stolen seal home an arduous task. The Amatatsu Seal can never be transported by teleportation magic or dimensional travel. It cannot be taken from the Material Plane save via special portals blessed by the gods, and character who carry the seal cannot cast or otherwise use teleportation effects.
Aura strong abjuration; CL 20th
Slot none; Weight 5 lbs.
A warding box is a powerful magical container built to obscure and confound any attempt to locate objects kept inside. The box can hold one object no large than 8 inches x 8 inches x 3 inches (or up to 25 pounds) in each of its three compartments at any one time. The box's lid and additional compartments are sealed, but the box can be opened or closed as a full-round action. While the lid is closed, the warding box and all objects inside it are protected from all divination spells. In this state, no divination spell save for those employed by the gods can detect the warding box or its contents.
Jennix staggers backs from the vision, waving his hand in front of his eyes. "By all the Gods! A queen!" He quickly puts the seal back into the box and slams it shut. Turning to his companions, he gives a half grin. "Time to go see Ameiko and perhaps look up that woman we released?"
Spivey says, "Wow! That woman is your friend? And she's a queen? She's beautiful. . . ." The lyrakien trails off for a few seconds and then looks sad for a moment. "Well, I suppose this means that you've got quite the adventure and journey ahead of you. I think this will have to be good bye then. I've been here at Brinewall for long enough that I think I've appointed myself its guardian and I now feel it's my duty to keep it clean of vermin and other nasties. I think it's time for some remodeling around here as well. If you ever pass by this way again, please do come and see me. You will always be welcome."
After saying a few more goodbyes, Spivey calls out, "Desna's blessings be upon you!" She then flies away with tears in her eyes to a higher part of the castle, presumably either to grief your parting or to start her cleaning project-perhaps one will compensate the other.
"Indeed... it would seem there is much to be done. Let us hurry back."
"Agreed"
Miso raises a hand in farewell as the fey flutters off, then silently nods in assent.
"Thank you for the help Spivey." Zack says appreciatively before preparing to head back.
Back at the caravan, everyone is abuzz. It seems Ameiko has woken up and is very excitable. Everyone has struggled to keep her in bed, worried that she might hurt herself with too much activity so quickly after waking from her stupor.
You shown directly to her. She beams and throws her arms around each of you, crying. "You know it too, don't you? It can't be true, can it? Oh, whatever you did in there. . . thank you!" It is clear she has had the same visions and revelations as you have.
"Well, what are we to do then? On to find Suishen? What do you say? Ready for an adventure?"
"So be it. Though I think perhaps we first need to go over some tallies. First off, Jennix, it seems you are responsible for the following sums as a result of services rendered and material goods consumed in whole or in part..."
"So, shall we journey to Kalsgard then?" Ameiko asks. "It's quite the journey and we have a long way to go but I'd love for you all to stick around and help me out."
"Of course Ameiko. I have no problem seeing this matter through."
"It seems like a profitable venture. You can count me in."
"Sounds most interesting. What language do they speak in the region? Perhaps I can learn it on the way."
Indeed. We are Kalsgard bound.
"Sounds most interesting. What language do they speak in the region? Perhaps I can learn it on the way."
"We are heading to the Lands of the Linnorm Kings, where I believe Skald is the dominant language."
---
The caravan route north takes you through frozen, desolate lands fraught with peril and hidden dangers, but your team of accomplished adventurers in a large and well-armed caravan have few troubles along the road. You have little fear of the typical creatures that stalk the wild fringes of northern civilization and the barbaric Nolander tribes that haunt this bleak borderland prefer softer targets for their ambushes and as such you encounter no hostilities.
Soon enough you pass through the Nolands and enter the Lands of the Linnorn Kings, where you join existing trade routes between the dwarven mine at Kopparberget and the city of Jol before continuing north into the Grungir Forest. The caravan road crosses the eastern neck of the Grungir until it reaches the bridge to Losthome, at which point the route follows the western bank of the Thundering River as it meanders north, connecting the many small settlements and steadings that stand upon the river's banks. At the confluence of the Thundering and Rimeflow rivers, the trade route branches again, with one trail crossing the Skalsbridge and heading northeast toward Trollheim while the other continues along the Rimeflow to Kalsgard.
About 300 miles into your 440 mile journey from Brinewall, the caravan camps for the night at Skalsbridge, an ancient bridge that crosses the Thundering River where it joins with the Rimeflow. The night is cold, and a frozen mist clings low to the ground, making ithe light dim, even within the range of the campfire light.
I can speak Skald, Miso says quietly in reply to Ameiko's statement, a faraway look in his eye as though remembering something long forgotten.
When the caravan stops, Miso seems less cold than many of the others; this climate is one in which he was raised, so he adapts reasonably well to it.
Jennix watches the countryside, seeing nothing in particular.
The sounds of night are muted amid the freezing fog that clings to blankets, cloaks, and Varisian mustachios alike. The dull silence is suddenly broken by the scrape of wood upon the gravel bank of the river-a boat has beached just beneath the bridge-quickly followed by the splash of feet in the shallows and the oath-cries and battle-songs of Ulfen raiders!
Miso endures some flashbacks to his youth at the sight of the Ulfen. Steely-eyed, he addresses his companions without taking his eyes off his foes. You must understand, friends, I shall brook no quarter to these raiders for the kindred blood their kind have shed. You have free will do do as you choose, of course.
Miso casts mage armor and moves along the beach, drawing his kama along the way.