Kirrah tears into the golem with vigor and her adamantine claws
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Luisila does a 30’ end-around the library bookshelves and touches Aegis II with a bit of luck.
“I looove boring fights (that we win!)”
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Myrdon finally completes his incantation and a group of four lantern archons appear in the air on the other side of the room. Almost simultaneously, all four fire beams of light repeatedly on the prone iron golem.
His spell done, Myrdon flies further down the corridor to get a better view.
Marta calls upon Ragathiel in a burst of silver and gold light that bathes everyone in the room.
Vladek decides to take a stab at the golem, and manages to make a little dent thanks to Marta's spell. Qadathra joins in and his tiny teeth chip a teensy bit of metal off of it as well.
Fendahl and Kirrah continue the assault, making slightly more headway in the deconstruction process. Once again, Fendahl's form is briefly doubled, with one of the forms connecting even though the other does not.
Luisila runs around and grants good fortune to Aegis, who tears into the golem. As Myrddon's spell completes, four globes of light swirl out, fly around the room, then look confused as they have no target to attack ...
As Aegis flies away with the golem's head, a large stone disk rolls out of its neck. It depicts a human king bowing before an unusual fishlike creature under a nighttime sky. In the image, a ray of power extends from the creature’s tentacles to strike the kneeling king, bathing him in a nimbus of energy.
The text is in ancient Osiriani, and appears to be a portion of a longer ritual. With just this text, it isn't possible to determine what the ritual may have been for.
The disk itself is not magical.
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“In a nutshell, yes, Marta.”
Luisila speaks off-handly to the inquisitor as she searches for her stray adamantine arrow. “Though I do wonder if we were set up. The work we were doing before the golem appeared was precisely as instructed by the Sapphire Sage and VC Valsin.”
“Who knows whether they were aware the artefact was golem-trapped?”
She *shrugs* “Anyway, maybe you and Myrdon should be careful about completing your own faction missions, in case they also contain little surprises.”
“Also we’ve got this ‘ritual disk’ thing now – assuming it plays a part in this mess.”
The priestess studies the pictographs. “I wonder if the fish-thing is an aboleth? A Veiled Master forming a pact with an Azlanti emperor or … Osirion Pharaoh??”
“I’m also surprised VC Eliza hasn’t shown up already to bawl us out for defending ourselves when orders from another pair of high ranking Pathfinder officials put us in harm’s way.”
As if summoned by Luisila's words, Eliza enters the library and stares at the toppled shelf and scattered papers.
She looks at the archons patrolling the room, then glances at each you with a raised eyebrow. "Now what?"
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Hrrmm. It seems someone was trying to prevent us from gaining knowledge which could be helpful to understanding who is behind the attacks and why.
Fendahl shrugs and motions to the fallen golem as he sheathes his nodachi and collects his gear. He makes to exit the room.
If I may ask, how far is it to this Maze again?
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Marta considers Luisila's warning about the faction mission, then dismisses it. First off, none of the servants seem inclined to respond to the phrase given her, and two, it seems very unlikely the servant will be any danger to her.
"Does that mean you are done with the library and are ready to go? Do you think we should clean up first? Seems rude to leave the room in a mess like this. Too bad your archons aren't made for hauling."
As she says this she prods the golem remains with her spear as if testing how hard it will be to move.
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Aye, this whole affair has been rude. Fendahl nods to Marta.
Then with a rare grin....
Although, with the mass destruction in the front hall...walls blasted, floors tunneled, blades, oils and fire scoring everything...I am not sure this iron form will detract much from the property value at this point. I am ready to depart.
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"Now what?"
“Now it’s time to go.”
Has the investigation and faction mission been worth the time and trouble? I dunno that it has …
Luisila nods curtly in agreement with Fendahl. “Time to go make a mess of ‘chez someone else.’”
“You implied you had some useful information to impart before we left, Venture-Captain.”
Despite the approach of nightfall, you agree to head out into the maze on the trail of the Red Raven and his crew. Eliza and Osprey await you near the entrance to the Maze of the Open Road. Both look somber and contemplative. A smudge of ash on Eliza’s cheek and disgusting stains on Osprey’s already filthy garb hint at the recent chaos. Eliza turns to you with a wistful sigh as Osprey speaks with a low, scratchy voice.
“A we mentioned before, this whole event was a test of Adril Hestram. If the accusations made by the elf Cale are valid, we need to follow up on them and see that the reputation of the Society is not sullied."
Osprey smiles, his thin lips showing comfort and humor belied by his penetrating, avian gaze. “Guilt by association is not fair, but in the Decemvirate’s eyes it is prudent, especially in these dangerous times. Your investigations thus far have proven you loyal Pathfinder agents. Venturing into the Maze of the Open Road and solving the mystery of Adril’s assassination will assure your loyalty to the Society, and will surely gain the approval of the Ten, despite your past association with him.”
Eliza steps forward, her hand curling into a triumphant fist. “I believe in you. I have since the first day we met. Go into the maze. Learn what you can of the Red Raven’s operation and how it ties in with Hestram. Come back and report to us, and we will coordinate our next move.”
------
At a glance the maze looks like any common hedge maze 300 feet on a side. Its 20-foot-tall walls always appear perfectly manicured, despite lacking caretakers. Bright red roses accent the deep green walls at irregular intervals.
You quickly determine that the maze can only be entered through the archway here. An invisible barrier prevents passage into or out of the maze, and obscures the view in or out.
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Fendahl calls Kirrah closer to prepare to enter the Maze. He casts resinous skin (extended) upon himself and longstrider on Kirrah prior to entering.
Hrrm, if it is dark, I will need some light in order to track. I can use a Wayfinder unless a different means is preferred. I am not sure our escapee is anywhere nearby at this point
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Myrdon stands at the entrance and starts casting a whole series of spells, both by himself and from wands, on himself and Aegis.
"If we worry about our light alerting enemies, I do have this handy scroll that can grant you darkvision. Won't have enough casting for everyone but I believe only those in front tracking would really need it. When we encounter something, then we pop out our light."
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Vladek bridles inwardly at Osprey's talk of "loyalty" - as a student of history, he knows well that far more and greater Evils have been committed under its sanction than have ever been for the sake of rebellion, or even treachery.
Just the same, he'd likely take the invitation to explore a (doubtlessly magical) hedge maze even if the only hard incentive was a shiny copper kopek someone had dropped inside - hell, he'd be happy to pay!
Vladek turns toward the others, looking deep into their eyes one by one. It's likely the first time the others have gotten a good look at them: Large, solid orbs peculiar to the Elven race, best described as opalescent in color, haunting and haunted in some ineffable manner, and now, gleaming brightly in the starlight.
"Before we go any further," He says with a cryptic smile. "I think there's no time like the present to offer you each a little gift, of sorts: Allow me a minute of your Time, and from it I can unravel a vision of your near future...at least, that which is *possibly* your near future."
Vladek touches each of you in turn. As he does, you catch a glimpse of what might be ...
You find yourself standing atop a vast stepped pyramid made of enormous blocks of red stone. The pyramid has to be at least 500 feet tall, and all around you, down every side of the pyramid, red-skinned humans, their heads shaved clean and dressed only in loincloths and thin shirts, prostrate themselves on every step and chant quietly in unison. As the vision fades, you think they are chanting your name...
You are standing in a small, circular room. There are others here, but their forms are indistinct and colorless. You hear voices talking, but the sounds are likewise flat and atonal. Some of the figures dart away from you while others come toward you. A small creature flies around your head, offering to help, but you aren't sure what it wants to help you do...
You stand on a narrow stone bridge, dueling with another swordsman. You are fairly well matched, and your motion is almost a dance. You strike, he parries. He stabs, you dodge. You are enjoying the fight, and focused so completely on it that for a moment you don't notice that something is behind you. You risk a glance over your shoulder, and see a fifty-foot long bird made of fire looming over your shoulder ...
You step through a door into a grand room that appears to be a private library. Bookshelves line the walls, and a comfortable reading area sits to one side. An attractive, well-groomed man dressed in fine clothing closes a book and sets it on the table. He rises and steps toward you, a smile on his face. He approaches you, and leads you into the room, his arm gently resting on your shoulder. His words are indistinct, but his intentions are clear. He wants to get close to you ...
Once you have each had your visions, you set out into the maze. The shadowy pathways stretch and turn, surely taking you outside the dimensions of the maze as viewed from the lodge’s rear lawn. The leafy walls virtually bristle with enchantment, and the atmosphere thrums with the sense that once inside the Maze of the Open Road, you have somehow left the mundane world behind. At irregular intervals side paths branch off from your chosen corridor, leading who knows where.
After several minutes the path widens to reveal a long causeway roofed by crumbling marble arches. Far up ahead the stone pathway opens onto a large plaza containing a handful of ruined stone structures, ancient buildings that look like abandoned temples. An enormous marble colossus of a robed figure looms upon a pedestal at the center of the courtyard, looking down upon a field of lifelike statues arrayed in a chaotic pattern. All bear terrified looks and are posed in grotesque defensive postures, arms out to stave off some unseen danger.