Dot.
“It is truly a pleasure to be back.” Venture Captain Drandle Dreng takes a seat at the head of the table and leafs through the papers set before him. “Some of you might have worked with me before my… furlough. And I look forward to reminiscing, but first it seems we need to spend the next few hours tidying up the paperwork you’ve accumulated overt the course of your adventures.” He wets his cracked lips. “First, we have all this these forms to fill in for the last time we got permission to enter the Tri-Towers Yard…Oh my. Well, I’m sure the Society can—“
A blue-grey shape crashes through the window and lands on the oak table with a metallic schwak! The tangle of wings and claws eventually stands, a gleaming silver raven, and opens its mouth.
“G—gods help me, Dreng, I’m dying,” a distant male voice sputters from the bird. “Men in black—came for… Numeria exhibits. It’s Nigel... I’ve been shot! You owe me, you old bastard!”
Dreng’s lips crack and pop as they tighten. “Well… Sounds like you lot need to head to the Wise District. That sounds like Nigel Aldain, so go to the Blakros Museum. If he lives through the night, I might be able to make something of this—” he waves a hand over the mound of parchment,“disappear.”
The Blakros Museum was originally constructed by the powerful wizard Ralzeros the Overwatched and some people say he cursed the building upon his death. Apparently, Nigel Aldain found the artifact Ralzeros originally used to shape the building and his “renovations” supposedly include making the museum less prone to catastrophe.
Numeria is a large wasteland to the north. It’s more of a wilderness of barbarian tribes than a real nation.
Stars fell on Numeria long ago, full of strange poisons and monsters. Its ruled by some barbarian king and his army of creepy mages.
The Black Sovereign Kevoth-Kul rules over Numeria’s small cities and wandering tribes, aided by a cult of magic-users known as the Technic League. The Technic League bases their magic off the technology that fell to Golarion thousands of years ago.
The Technic League jealously guards their technology. The strange things across Numeria they covet fell to Golarion in the remains of an enormous metal ship that supposedly sailed between worlds.
Basil tips back his broad-brimmed hat, and shakes some of the dust of the road from his leather coat, as morosely eyes the pile of paperwork.
I didn't sign-on to be a clerk!
When Nigel's message comes through, however, he is quite relieved.
"I don't rightly know anything about the Blakros Museum, but I spent me some time in the wilds of Numeria. 'Tis a frightful place. Numeria is a large wasteland to the north. It’s more of a wilderness of barbarian tribes than a real nation. Stars fell on Numeria long ago, full of strange poisons and monsters. The Black Sovereign Kevoth-Kul rules over Numeria’s small cities and wandering tribes, aided by a cult of magic-users known as the Technic League. The Technic League bases their magic off the technology that fell to Golarion thousands of years ago. The Technic League jealously guards their technology. The strange things across Numeria they covet fell to Golarion in the remains of an enormous metal ship that supposedly sailed between worlds."
He then gives Valda an eager grin.
"Are you up for a little late-night exploring?"
"From the statue of Irori, head north, 3 houses, then turn east 2 houses, then just head north again. You can't miss it." Drandle Dreng replies. "It’s the ugly building in the Wise Quarter that holds all sorts of dangerous oddities the Society borrows from time to time. Last I heard, Nigel shut the place down a few weeks ago for some renovations and to bring in some new exhibit.” Drandle Dreng gives a disgruntled snort.
Drendle Dreng is perfectly happy to let you go on your way.
The dark, blocky architecture of the Blakros Museum squats stubbornly between the more impressive government buildings of the Wise Quarter. One of the older buildings in Absalom, it remains unchanged and lacks the ornamentation of its newer neighbors. Imposing statues of armored men flank the entrance ahead, one partially obscured by a half-fallen banner reading “Grand New Exhibition!” A blue flicker intermittently tints the dark windows, casting long, dull shadows over the groomed gardens and fountain. A crumpled figure in bloodstained robes lies against the fountain’s edge.
As you approach, he calls out weakly to you."Are you Pathfinders? Did Dreng send you?"
"It was... it was... it was in no way my fault! We took every precaution! Tomorrow was going to be such an event, unveiling the new museum, and absolutely nothing could go wrong! I personally inspected every artifact that came in, as both a scholar and a wizard. Everything was harmless as a newborn lamb! And anything the least bit suspicious went right into the lockbox! We even made sure those bizarre “robots” of theirs were neutralized!" Nigel gasps out, before fainting from the exertion.
Your emergency first aid attempts bring him round and he groans."It was those vile cultists! They struck in the night like cowards! Oh, Abadar preserve my poor staff! None of us know how to fight. I went to find help and those Numerian monsters shot me in the back! I blacked out. Thought I’d gone on to the Boneyard, but when I awoke I called for assistance. I don’t know how many of my workers are still alive! Pendleton was in there! You have to do something. They could destroy the entire museum! Half of that exhibit belongs to you people!” He stammers, frantic. He seems pale from bloodloss, and you notice he has a cauterized hip wound.
Basil frowns.
"Why would you think we thought it was your fault? We will certainly do our best to preserve our property, and yours. Who is Pendleton?"
Whilst he waits for a reply, Basil taps Nigel with a Wand of CLW, just to make sure he is in good enough shape to walk.
He then turns to Valda.
"If you have any long-term preparations, I recommend doing them now."
So saying, he casts several spells of his own.
Basil then concentrates, using one of his Brigh-given abilities to see what is on the other side of the double doors.
Walls and pillars of hewn black stone support the heavy ceiling overhead and a lattice of lamps burning with a steady, white flame. Dozens of paintings, both stunning and lackluster, line the walls just beyond the museum’s grand doors. Various statues stand against the walls, while a towering bronze figure, arm outstretched with waves parting beneath him, almost scrapes the fifteen-foot ceiling at the chamber’s far end. You notice 4 of the statutes, despite being badly rusted, have their eyes glowing with an ominous red light.
“Pendleton is my nephew—my wife’s sister’s middle son. Nice enough lad. Head in the clouds. Dhrami thought a season or two working in the museum might teach him a bit about foreign cultures before they actually let him roam the world and embarrass us all abroad.” Nigel replies, still in pain. After you use 1 charge of your CLW wand on him, he grabs your arm for support to pull himself up to his feet."I need to inform my family of the incident. They'll be frantic." He turns to Valda and pleads, "Please save Pendleton and the other staff. Also, try not to destroy too many things. I don’t have the time to track down a new museum staff or find new exhibits before the opening tomorrow!” With that he staggers off into the darkness.
An electric tang overpowers the room’s scent of polish and wax. Walls and pillars of hewn black stone support the heavy ceiling overhead and a lattice of lamps burning with a steady, white flame. Dozens of paintings, both stunning and lackluster, line the walls just beyond the museum’s grand doors. Various statues stand against the walls, while a towering bronze figure, arm outstretched with waves parting beneath him, almost scrapes the fifteen-foot ceiling at the chamber’s far end.
Doors to the west are delicately labeled “Facilities,” while a sign over the double doors across the gallery boasts “Histories of the World.” Two sets of double-doors stand at the room’s north end, barely ajar. A banner hanging overhead proclaims “Secret Sorceries of a Savage Land,” while a more subdued sign below that reads “Grand Exhibition Hall.”
Having informed Valda that four of the (rusty) statues appear to be decidedly unfriendly, he touches her primary weapon, causing it to be suffused with a rust-like sheen.
He then waits for the door to open, ready to start pummeling constructs!
Basil shoots at the SW statue.
My bad. That's for me not reading at lv 5, slayers can get 2 studied targets. Also, yeah they're constructs you've never seen before!
Basil's arrow punches a large hole through the back south eastern statute. You can see the circuits inside.
The closest north east one attacks Valda with a spear charged with electricity.
It clanks off Valda's plate atrmour.
The second NE statute seems to have its gears clogged up and staggers to Valda.
The nearest South East one double moves to Basil.
The farther South East lays a metalluc hand on itself and repairs the damage done by Basil's arrow. It then moves towards Basil.
Unperturbed by the construct getting up close and personal with him, Basil 5' steps back, activates Bane(construct), and unloads on the hapless creature!
Valda swipes at a statute that is moving past her to get to Basil, opening up a deep cut in its chest.
Basil backpedals, shoots one of the statues right through the head and it collapses. He then turns to the one that Valda cut and ends its life with an arrow to the chest.
The other statue ducks out of the way of his last arrow.
You cut it at the hip, deeply, but it still stands and dodges your backswing. They attempt to stab you.
One of them manages to pierce your side, but you dodge the other.
Throughout this fight, Basil, you realise they do not seem to be fully harmed by the electrical component of your arrows.
Basil moves forward for a better view, and takes a single pot-shot at the injured mechanical man.
Basil's shot hits the chest, drawing sparks from malfunctioning machinery. Valda then chops the mechanical man into two by the waist, leaving both halves to fall noisily to the floor with a large clang. Her backswing is parried by spear of the remaining mechanical man, who attempts to jab her again.
The spear clangs harmlessly off Valda's armour.
Scenting victory, Basil opens-up with his arrow gatling-gun on the final hapless statue.
Basil's first shot hits the neck of the remaining mechanical man and it staggers backwards and the other two arrows miss.
It seems to regain its balance,dodges the blows and tries to stab you once more.
You manage to swat the spear away with your axe.
With a frown, Basil tries to put the last one down.
With two swift arrows, Basil puts down the last mechanical man, with it going up in a nice explosion, showering Valda with random parts.
Both of you are now alone now in the room, which is distictivelt smelling of ozone. The walls show scorch marks ftom the earlier explosion and the floor is littered with random cogs and wheels, as well as chopped up mechanical men.
Basil quickly searches the room (collecting his arrows as he goes)...
...and then...
decides to try his luck with the southern set of doors.
Basil pulls out the arrows from all those mechanical men he shot. Of those that missed their targets, he finds only 3 of them. He think the last one is somewhere buried under all the random mechanical parts strewn all over the room and unretrievable. A well-concealed panel at the base of the large staue catches his eye and he pries it apart to find the following items: a healer’s kit, three doses of bloodblock, two doses of antitoxin, two doses of antiplague, a potion and a wand.
You catch a glimpse of an exhibit hall with the western half full of books and the eastern half displaying Osirian mummies and grave goods, of which you were able to identify with your extensive religious training in the temple of Brigh.
"The room beyond is an exhibition hall, half full of books; the other half contains Ancient Osiriani mummies, and grave goods. I don't see any hostiles."
He then nods to the door.
"After you!"
This exhibit hall is dedicated to historical curiosities, with the western half currently dedicated to Taldan military history and the eastern half displaying Osirian mummies and grave goods that Basil described. As soon as Basil steps into the toom, he spots 2 secret doors, each on different sides of the room. Basil also spots drag marks from the eastern side where a gold-plated lid of a small sarcophagus has been removed, leading North East.
Basil checks both secret doors for traps, then lets Valda open them.
Basil realizes both doors are not trapped, but B9 is locked.
Basil shrugs.
"History can be useful so as to not repeat the mistakes of the past in the here and now, but I must admit to always being more concerned about what might try to kill me in the present, rather than what happened a thousand years ago. That said, an outing where something isn't trying to kill me might be interesting!"
With a little bit of tinkering, Basil easily opens the locked door.
Basil sees an elevator shaft leading down to the basement. Valda could get into the elevator in her enlarged state but it would be quite a squeeze, and no one would be able to use the elevator.
"Alright then, let's move on; we should finish this level, before we try going downstairs."
Basil patiently waits to see what is behind the other secret door.
Valda opens B8 and sees cleaning supplies and tools used to mend and maintain the historical gallery’s exhibits, as well as replacement plumes for military helms.