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"Well, we're not high enough up in our organisation to gainsay the wishes of our captains either" Effie takes a more sympathetic approach to Green. "So your bosses will have to take it up with our bosses - and let's not have the workers who have to get their hands dirty kill each other over it, right?"
"Yeah, there is that..." Green reluctantly admits when Hepsubia points out that the encounter could've gone much worse than what it did. "We've heard that some of you Pathfinders can be pretty bloodthirsty...but not all, as you've pointed out."
Green rubs at his shoulder, wincing a bit. "And I don't fancy pushing my luck. Leave us to tend to the others, please, and you'll not hear from us again. You can even take our weapons and gear, if it'll help set your minds at ease."
Potion of Cure Light Wounds x4
Potion of Fly x4
Elemental Flux x9
Chain Shirt x4
Light Crossbow x4
Bolts x80
Rapier x4
Sap x4
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"We've heard that some of you Pathfinders can be pretty bloodthirsty...but not all, as you've pointed out."
Holan-Ji releases Yellow but stays in his Tiger form. He's still getting used to it, and it's kind of fun being a great big cat.
"I think we get a bad name for killin' things first and askin' questions later. But sometimes those things weren't gonna - or can't - answer questions. Or surrender," he finishes with a toothy cat smile at Yellow.
As the others paw through the loot, he expresses interest in a potion of flying. He's curious how the flux stuff works, even though he's not planning to carry or use them.
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Maria quickly identifies if the flux needs blood or is already activated and which energy type each might cause. It would be dumb if they weren't activated, but who knows with these mercenaries.
After they move on their way, the investigator starts handing out items.
She hands Holan Ji, Zithembe and The Grandfrogger a potion of fly each. She hefts the last one, "The rest of us can do pretty well at range, does anyone have a good reason to need this last potion of flight? Obviously we might ALL need it if we leave the city, but let's hope that doesn't happen."
She hands out any curative potions to those who theoretically might need them and stuffs the rest of the junk into her haversack to sell later and help recoup any losses the society might have on this mission.
After feeling pretty certain that the four suli are no longer a threat, you leave them to lick their wounds and head back out. Though you know what your next destination should be, you're a little at loss on how to gain access - especially if all or most of the Azure Hall is currently closed. So for the time being, you decide to head back to Jairo's place to consider your next move.
As it turns out, you find Jairo in his sitting room when you return and he looks up at you with a smile as you walk in. "Ah! You return. I did not see you when I left the gala and so I expected that you learned something which took you elsewhere in the city. Is your investigation going well?"
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"Well" Effie begins - "on the plus side we know we need to get into the Azure Hall to find a particular book. On the not-so-plus side, the Concordance sent a bunch of thugs to try to stop our research. Turns out that what they 'concord' with is the status quo and they don't much care that evil demigods rule the elemental planes."
"Do you have any idea how we can access the Cobalt Gallery? In a hurry?"
"Hrm..." Jairo muses. "Well, the lobby itself and the central halls are still open to the public but the Cobalt Gallery, you say? That section is located in the east wing, which is still closed, last I heard."
The djinn sits up a little straighter on his cushion and reaches to a nearby table for some ink and parchment. "Still, I might be able to use my influence here in the city to get you inside - or to at least convince whoever's manning the reception desk to entertain your request."
Jairo scribbles some words on the parchment and then stamps it with his own personal seal.
"Take this with you when you go and show it to the desk clerk," he explains. "It should be enough to convince them to grant you access to the Cobalt Gallery. That said...it might not hurt to also pour on the charm when you make your request. You catch more flies with honey, you know!"
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Maria shrugs, "Hmmm. Well I'm not the charming one here so I'll at best just be helping not piss off the gatekeeper. But that honestly seems a lot easier than I thought it would be, apparently 'closed' doesn't have the same meaning here." She writes a note in her journal and continues, "So let's hope it turns out that way. And since we've already been accosted twice we know time is not on our side, let us hurry."
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Maria shrugs, "Hmmm. Well I'm not the charming one here so I'll at best just be helping not piss off the gatekeeper. ....let us hurry."
"I'm with you there," Holan-Ji elbow nudges Maria. "We'll just stand in the back and look dangerous." He bares his teeth and puts his claws out before breaking out in a raucous laugh. Still shaking his head and grinning at his own humor, he grabs some food from Jairos' well stocked larder and nods to Maria's recommendation. "Ready when you are."
Given that you've already been accosted twice today, you suspect that time is of the essence and you'd best hurry on. With Jairo's missive in hand, you make your way across the city to the Azure Hall.
An immense building crafted from blue marble rests atop a crystalline dais with a central staircase connecting it to a stone courtyard below. Delicately carved scrollwork adorns the exterior walls, which are inlaid with rows of sapphire. A silver crest hangs above an open pair of imposing doors, which offer a glimpse into the lobby beyond. The rush of water resounds from the imposing waterfall encircling the perimeter of the Azure Hall. Strings of bubbles float in the air around the Hall, faint light glowing from within the glossy orbs.
Making your way inside, you head to the reception desk, currently manned by a young gnome woman with vibrant purple hair. As you approach, she glances up with a smile.
"Yes, may I help you?"
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Effie marvels at the construction of the Hall. "How'd they get so much marble here? On the Plane of Air? Must be genie wishes. Gotta be." She turns her head, and catches sight of something.
"Ooooh, what's that? Do you see? Tumbling gemstones of every colour, over and over!" You turn to look. "Oh, it's gone. How strange."
.
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Once inside, Effie smiles at Zith. "Hard luck there, Zith. Shall I try?" she smiles.
"Excuse me, ma'am" she says to the gnome at the desk. "we have a letter for you from our good friend Jairo. Perhaps you know him? A patron of scholars, who speaks very highly of this establishment and its wonderful, ever-so-helpful staff. Jairo would like you to let us in to the Cobalt Gallery if you would be so kind."
"Oh! Well, as you might have heard, the Cobalt Gallery - along with most of the facilities here - is currently closed and off-limits to visitors," the gnome answers, sitting up a little straighter in her chair. "But if this is a special request from Master Jairo...hmm..."
She accepts the missive, breaking the seal and quickly reading through the contents. When she finishes, she adjusts her glasses and gives a satisfied nod.
"It looks like everything is in order! Let me just get stamped passes for each of you and then you'll be good to go."
A few minutes later, you flash your stamped passes to the security stationed outside of the Cobalt Gallery and they stand aside to allow you entry. Mahogany bookshelves encircle the walls of the chamber with two rows of freestanding shelves spanning its length. Desks and chairs of varying sizes offer seating accommodation for the library’s diverse patrons. Small tendrils of mist spiral up from the vapor fountain in the middle of the room - an elegant display of anchored cyclones. An open door on the western wall empties out into a hallway, and a ladder near the eastern wall leads up to the second floor balcony. The ceiling reaches sixty feet from the floor and is painted with a mural of imperious djinn soaring in the sky. The most striking details of the room, however, are the thick clouds suspended in the air between the balcony and the ceiling. Atop these stationary clouds rest additional bookshelves, chairs, desks, and podiums.
While the ladder does provide access to some of the shelves here, it looks as though you'll need to be capable of flight to reach the various floating clouds within the gallery.
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"Köszönöm," Holan-Ji thanks the cute gnome in her native tongue. He adds a flirtatious wink and friendly smile as they depart to another library full of books. Though admittedly, it's a very pretty buidling.
In the library, he looks longingly at the comfy chairs before deciding that he's technically here to do a job.
"I'm not sure that me flyin' around lookin' at books is gonna help much." He uses his tail to pluck the potion of flying from his pack and holds it out to Effie and The Amazin' Lil' Hep.
Assuming someone else takes it, he climbs the ladder to the balcony to at least begin helping to look for the book (or whatever) they're here to find.
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"Yes. Quite a few native material planars in Armun Kelisk. These cities attract them compared to other sorts of communities or other, less hospitable planes," Zithembe says to Effie.
--<>--
"No reason to spend the resource until mundane measures are exhausted," he says and follows Holan-Ji toward the ladder.
+1 vs. traps
Opting to search what you can easily reach first, everyone spreads out and begins nosing through the shelves that can be accessed from the ground floor or by ladder. This takes a bit of time but with six of you working you're able to cover quite a bit of ground. While none of you come across the book you seek - the Primordial Key of Ilyralene - Maria and Grandfrogger spot something promising.
On one of the floating bookshelves, positioned roughly 40 feet above the second floor balcony, has a small section of books that look almost...fake. Like they're actually part of the shelf itself but cleverly disguised to look like real books...
Though Zithembe doesn't initially spot the incongruity himself, Maria and the Grandfrogger are able to direct him to it after he downs one of the potions of Fly and heads up to have a look. The out-of-place section of bookshelf swings open to reveal...a book!
It's the book you've been looking for, the title Primordial Key of Ilyralene emblazoned on its spine.
After the shabti returns to the rest of you, you eagerly flip the book open only to discover that written in Auran on every single page are the same series of words:
Առանց թևերի ես ճախրում եմ
Առանց կոկորդի ես մռնչում եմ
Ես կարող եմ հուզվել
Բայց երբեք սեղմված չէ
Ես երկնքում ազատ եմ
Դուք չեք կարող ինձ տեսնել ձեր աչքերով
Ինչ եմ ես?
Without wings, I soar
Without throat, I roar
I can be touched
But never clutched
I am free within the skies
You cannot see me with your eyes
What am I?
As Hepsubia offers up an answer to the book's riddle, there's a flash of light from the tome! The animated image of a young girl wearing a jeweled turban appears on the page in scintillating ink. Melodic laughter echoes from the book as she offers a deep bow.
"Hello, gentle reader," the illustration says in a lilting voice. "How may I assist you?"
The girl laughs again and nods. "Yes, I am Ilyralene. Lady of the Clouds, loyal servant of the Duke of Thunder and as timeless as the skies themselves. This book is my home and where I keep my consciousness as well as all of my knowledge. Is there something I can assist you with this day?"
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"Wow!" Effie can't help but express her wonderment.
"Why do you choose to live as a book? Erm, that's not why we're here to see you though. Although I would really like to know! But actually" Effie looks around to make sure that there are no eavesdroppers "we're researching ways that we might be able to free the Duke of Thunder from his prison. Can you help with that?"
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Holan-Ji leans in to Zithembe's ear. "I'm gonna go guard the door. We know Fairuza's watchin' us, and we don't want any more o' her friends showin' up again."
He then leaps off the balcony, lands on his feet like, well, like a cat, and strides to the door which he makes sure is closed and secured as well as he can make it.
While Effie excitedly puts some additional questions to the book, Holan-Ji heads back down to stand guard near the entrance into the Cobalt Gallery.
"After the Duke of Thunder and the other goodly elemental lords were imprisoned I reasoned it would be prudent to ensure that my knowledge would not be lost upon the death of my body," Ilyralene answers, her tone quite serene. "And so I placed my consciousness into this tome."
"Regarding the release of my lord I have collected many theories, but the one I feel is most credible involves the creation of a hammer crafted from the purest elements of fire, water, and earth. Metal from the core of Aryzul’s kingdom must be forged in fire hotter than Ymeri’s hatred and then quenched in water colder than Kelizandri’s heart. When such a weapon is applied to the Untouchable Opal, the gem should break and release my lord. Ostensibly, a similar treatment using equally powerful components might also suffice. For further reading about this subject, please refer to page 109..."
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The elf leans in to whisper to Effie, "Ask her about Jamilla and the Concordance too."
Maria shares her thoughts on what to do with the book as Effie efficiently wheedles the book for information, "I doubt that these halls would remain safe now that we have discovered her. I vote to take her back to the lodge, if she agrees. And I know I made a huge deal about not removing items from a library before, but this is a different situation. The book is sentient, from all noticeable signs, and thus is able to make its own decisions. Plus, it could be at great risk of being destroyed if left here undefended. And lastly, we never agreed to any rules about not taking items from this library."
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"Only if we tried to take Ilyralene against her will, Hep."
Effie agrees with Maria's whispered advice.
"Ilyralene, there may be good reason for you to leave here. Do you know about a group called the Concordance, and one of their agents - a janni named Jamilia? They have been trying to stop our research, to prevent us from working to free Ranginori. They claim to act in the interest of 'balance'. But they have stolen from us, and even now they may pursue us. If they discovered you... you would be in danger."
As Effie continues posing questions to the sentient book, she flips over to page 109. Much of the information here is theorycrafting regarding other possible components that might be used to forge Ilyralene's proposed hammer; too much to really delve into at this very moment but potentially useful if given time and further study.
"The Concordance of Elements is a society of individuals dedicated to preserving neutrality and balance among the elemental planes," Ilyralene answers cheerfully. "There are five leaders known as the Five Seats: the Seat of Earth, the Seat of Air, the Seat of Fire, and the Seat of Water. The fifth leader is the Seat of Balance, who is responsible for moderating discussions and overseeing the decisions of the others."
When the question arises of taking Ilyralene with you to Absalom, she looks thoughtful. "Hmm...your idea does have some merit...and enemies of Ranginori and the other goodly elemental lords would likely not think to look for me on the Material Plane. At least not for a while. I-"
Before Ilyralene can continue, Holan-Ji hears the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps from outside the door. As the doors fly open he is ready and steps in to intercept...Fairuza Bereket. Holan-Ji can see that she appears to be alone and while she seems mildly startled to find one of you waiting right at the door, she recovers quickly. While she makes no attempt to push past Holan-Ji neither does she acquiesce to having hands laid on her, attempting to free herself if he tries.
"And here you are, still. Why do you persist in this endeavor to free Ranginori from his prison?" she demands. "By nature, the balance among the elements depends upon the balance of power among the elemental planes. For tens of thousands of years, one elemental lord has reigned supreme over each plane. To release a second in the Plane of Air would disrupt that balance. It would bring about chaos, with the promise of war and suffering. Is that truly what you want?"
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Holan-Ji knows his part in this drama. He crosses and flexes his cord-muscled arms across his huge chest to make himself look like that bouncer he'd once seen at the Kitten Club in Katapesh. He stares silently and implacably at Fairuza, narrowing his slit-pupiled eyes. His wide-legged stance blocking the door makes it clear that she's not getting in, while his crossed arms also show that he has no intent to assault her. Yet.
Zithembe, Effie, and the others all have speaking roles should they choose them. His role is to be the wall, the mountain, the impassable barrier.
And so, like a mountain, he waits.
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"And before Ranginori and his fellows were imprisoned - was it constant war? And if so, was it right to choose Evil over Good? When is it ever right to accept tyranny for the sake of an illusion of peace?
It is not peace to live under a tyrant. For no soul can be free who must obey the whims of an evil lord under threat of pain and suffering.
This is a beautiful city, but at its heart is a terrible sickness, a sickness of the soul. Let Armun Kelisk regain its beauty! Let its people escape from the tyrant's heel!"
Effie makes an impassioned plea to Fairuza.
Fairuza hesitates, a look of doubt and unease written across her face.
"There has been peace of a sort throughout the millennia...but it does pain us that it comes at the cost of leaving the goodly lords imprisoned," she finally answers, her words slow as though she's trying to organize her own thoughts. "The Concordance are not monsters, though it may surely seem that way to some. And apparently neither are the Pathfinders - at every turn you seek a peaceful resolution rather than violence."
She relaxes her stance, just a little. "If your intentions are pure, then maybe...maybe you should meet-"
Once again, your conversation is interrupted as the doors leading outside from the second floor balcony fly open. A gray-skinned sylph comes riding in atop a pegasus, accompanied by a small humanoid creature with thin, leathery wings and small horns as well as a large cloud shaped like giant bird of prey.
"Well, well, look what we have here," the sylph remarks, sounding pleased as he dismounts. "Proof at last that the Concordance is not as neutral as it claims to be. Oh Fairuza, you've slipped up at last! To see you here, consorting with those who've made themselves known as enemies to the Duchess of All Winds...why, I believe that makes you just as guilty as they, doesn't it?"
Fairuza swears under her breath before looking up in challenge at the sylph. "Challisier, always such a displeasure to see you! Why, I am simply having a friendly chat with some new acquaintances of mine, made at the gala earlier this morning. By what right do you barge in here, making your accusations?"
Challisier laughs. "Acquaintances? Fairuza, you and your Concordance friends are not the only ones with eyes and ears scattered about this city! We know what these Pathfinders seek and the fact that you stand here with them now is proof enough for glorious Hshurha that you are complicit in their schemes. And it is by her authority that I have come to put a stop to your machinations!"
"We'll see about that..." Fairuza hisses. To Holan-Ji and the rest of you, she adds, "I'll handle the elemental," before taking flight and flinging a bolt of fire at the bird-shaped air elemental. "Catch me if you can, airhead!" she calls, before zipping up and over Holan-Ji's head and out of a nearby window. The air elemental roars in anger and swoops out after her!
Challisier hmphs and turns his gaze back to the rest of you. "No matter. We can handle you ourselves!"
You recognize the winged creature as an air mephit.
This is a pegasus, much like the ones that initially delivered you to the Plane of Air.
Having been given the signal, Green cackles and begins doing some strange-looking gyrating and gesticulating...
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Green
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Holan-Ji
Effie
Zithembe
Maria
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Blue Pegasus
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Grandfrogger
Hepsubia
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Chalissier
Active Conditions: None
Environmental Conditions: None
Holan-Ji, Effie, Zithembe and Maria are UP!
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Holan-Ji nods politely in affirmation when Fairuza concedes that maybe the Pathfinders aren't so bad. He's still not gonna let her past until Big Z says it's okay, cause he doesn't quite trust her completely yet....
So when the upstairs doors fly open, he's primed to blame Fairuza and assume it's an ambush. He drops into a fighting stance, but then hears the accusations and comes to understand what's really going on. When she says that she'll handle the elemental, he tells her to go get 'em and focuses his attention on the newcomers.
He looks at the horse and smiles, his mouth already salivating at the image of it roasting over an open fire back at Jairo's. Maybe with some extra hot sauce from the Plane of Fire if they can find it here. But before he can enjoy the taste of pegasus, he's gotta be able to get to it.
He quickly uses his tail to again find that potion bottle he offered to the others. Damn, Z's pretty smart, tellin' me to keep this in case we needed it for later. He downs it and flies(!) forward to land on a table near where his teammates are gathered. But it's not the normal him that lands on the table. It's the dire tiger! "What's the play, Boss?" he growls with a glance back to Zithembe.
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"Your 'Duchess' is a tyrant whose evil despoils this beautiful place with its taint!" Effie berates the sylph. "We will shine a light on the darkness. The people of Armun Kelisk will be free to choose whom they offer their fealty to."
Effie draws her pistol and sets it in motion above her head, its metal glittering in the light. She strides forward confidently as she makes her challenge to Challisier.
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A Air Mephit, and another horse-with-wings-glued on! I've heard that glue is sometimes made with horses flesh, so maybe when good horses die they are used to glue wings on other, potential good horses, so they stay close to the Heavens.
Certainly, someone with such vast sum of knowledge as Hepsubia could have been way more helpful, and give you hints about the strenghts and weaknesses of your opponent.
But hey, Chaos gives and Chaos takes! And Maria is here to bore you with all the details you wished you never knew anyway! But she WISHES she would have found in her books something so poetic and funny to say about pegasii.
Unbothered by this newest interruption Holan-Ji easily retrieves the flight potion he's been holding and gulps it down, zipping over to land atop the nearby table - now in his dire tiger form. He dreams of BBQ pegasus but opts to see if Zithembe has a better suggestion for him.
Also not bothered by Chalissier's arrival, Effie draws out her pistol and spins it around while delivering a rousing bit of oratory to inspire her friends!
Hepsubia is able to recognize the small winged creature as an air mephit and is certain that the winged horse is really just a faker with some wings glued on for effect. That sylph probably did it - what a jerk!
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Green
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Holan-Ji
Effie
Zithembe
Maria
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Blue Pegasus
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Grandfrogger
Hepsubia
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Chalissier
Active Conditions: Inspire Courage +1
Environmental Conditions: None
Zithembe and Maria are UP!
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"Mephits are obviously more dangerous than pegasi, so I won't bore you with details about the flying horses. The Mephits of course have..."
"Oh Hep, don't you know that the glue is made from horse hooves and not their flesh? Also I think this goes without saying, please don't kill the flying horse, it's probably not evil."
She moves up next to the fountain and pulls a very special white arrow out of her quiver. The half-elf takes aim at the mount and fires!
for