You duck under the chain and head down the stairs. Through an archway at the bottom, you can see a long pillared hall of white marble, illuminated by magic. Small side rooms seem dedicated to individual aspirants. There is no one present that you can see, although the sound of the crowd grows louder outside as they cheer Sir Reinhardt on.
As you scan the rooms, you find that each shrine contains an altar with a small brass nameplate affixed, detailing the name of the failed aspirant, as well as their would-be portfolio. From the top right and moving counter-clockwise, you encounter shrines to Mellag, failed aspirant of rot; Silmor, failed aspirant of the blade, Spuchasta, failed aspirant of hallucinatory incense and herbs, "The Muted God", failed aspirant of silence and serenity; Plokkis, whose chosen portfolio was spoiled food; Oggo, who attempted to be come Goddess of the Sixteen Poses; and finally Demuren, the failed goddess of sacrifice.
Leafing through your clues, Karina Clamp's name was given in the gnome's house as "the chosen aspirant", but clearly her name is not on any of the shrines. However, on the Wall of Names, her epitaph was given as "Travelled to distant Jalmeray. Failed to maintain the necessary Sixteen Poses."
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It's a shame we won't get to watch the spectacle. You never know, we might be in the presence of future divinity.
Colt hops the chain and ambles into the shrine.
He peers around the corner into the room dedicated to Oggo.
Maybe we have to actually demonstrate the sixteen poses. Pose 1: Sneezing Tiger, Pose 2: Angry Lotus, Pose 3: ...
As he names them, Colt offers up his version of the various poses. Somehow, you get the sense his representations are not very accurate.
Oggo's shrine looks very similar to the others - a small dais with a simple altar, with a small brass nameplate affixed to the front. There are a few coins and dried flower petals scattered on the altar, no doubt left by someone as an offering of remembrance.
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Taliesin moves forward, her lips pursed.
"Curious," she says. "That bottom screw of the brass nameplate is missing...it's only held in place by a single screw at the top."
She moves to rotate the nameplate to see if anything is under it.
"By the way...what was that password we had to speak? Maybe this is the place to say it..."
Nothing occurs when Pan says the password. However, when Taliesin swivels the brass nameplate, it reveals a piece of black slate behind it. Perched on a thin wooden shelf along the bottom of the slate is a thin piece of chalk.
As Amenhotep scribes the final character on the slate, there is a grinding sound to the west. At first, nothing seems to have changed, but then there is a "pop" and a section of wall disappears, to reveal an open secret door leading into a rough-hewn tunnel heading to the west.
The tunnel appears natural, but close inspection reveals that it was shaped deliberately and sculpted to look natural - probably using magic. The tunnel curves northwards and forks around a pair of obstacles before opening into a worked stone room lit by a soft glow. Inside the room, two desks and several bookshelves line the walls, full of neatly-organized papers, journals, and files.
"I was mostly referring to the fact that an illusory wall was placed in front of a real wall...but seeing as that wall has now moved...then I guess I understand it."
Shechera finds that the paperwork on the desk is a priceless collection of Pathfinder Society lore and information, describing dozens of unexplored sites. Most are written in an Azlanti dialect further encrypted using an old cipher employed by the Society centuries ago, but enough are in clear text to enable you to tell what they refer to. It will likely take weeks of deciphering the materials to glean all of the information within them, but you have clearly found an incredible resource for the Society.
The source of light in the room is a glowing piece of cut alexandrite, valuable in its own right, which has continual flame or its equivalent cast upon it.
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I think we found our prize friends. Though its about this time that the floor usually falls out from underneath your feet. Shechera will quickly, but carefully start collecting all the documents and storing them in her pack, probably using a book or two off the shelves to make sure they don't wrinkle.
You package up the most significant documents, although you'll likely need a second trip to bring everything out. Let me know if there's anything else you want to do before leaving this room.
You pack up the documents and head back into the Shrine of the Failed. As you head down the tunnel, Lu and Pan both hear some quiet voices echoing in the main hall.
As you leave the tunnel and head through the shrine back to the main hall, you notice four other people in the hall (according to your lines of sight - Shechera is the only one who can see them all clearly at this point).
To the right of the door, a large Shoanti man leans against the wall, his greatclub resting on his shoulder.
On the left of the door, a slim Taldan man with a drawn sword and shield stands ready.
Behind a pillar, an unarmored man with a morning star lurks.
Across the room, a half-elven woman holds a dagger in one hand and watches the doorway intently.
As Shechera appears, the swordsman shouts, "You fool! You will interfere with the omens!" The half-elf screams with frustration at you. "Not again! I will not have the omens fail again!" She looks at Shecehra with hatred in her eyes. "Kill them! Kill them all!"
Sorted initiatives: Shoanti, morning star man, Colt, Pan, Shechera, Taliesin, half-elf, Lu, swordsman, Amenhotep.
Round 1 (partial)
The Shoanti points his club at Shechera, then roars again and charges forward, whirling the club over his head! He smashes Shechera full in the chest, knocking the wind out of her and cracking at least a couple of ribs.
The man with the morning star calls out to his companions: "As has been foretold, receive this day the blessing of our lost father, so that through us his prophecies will come to pass!" His body them spasms with a fit of coughing, and his voice suddenly turns deep and hateful. "ARGHAK'THH T'kAGH! GARK'KATH F'THAWNN!"
Colt, Pan, Shechera, Taliesin are up! Map is updated, please move yourself on the map as well as describe your actions here.
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"They are using magic to make themselves better! Pull back so we can counter their ambush..."he trails off as he looks at this bad situation.
Pangu draws his swordcane and holds it at the ready.
He prepares for the first enemy that moves forward, who he will slash out against and attempt to aid Shechara for armor after seeing her take such a harsh slam.
+4 AC
Round 1 (continued)
Colt yells, "Duck!" and then fires at the Shoanti, hitting him square in the chest. He groans at the impact, but does not fall.
Pangu holds his swordcane at the ready, defending Shechera.
Shechera slides her first sword into the Shoanti's belly, and his eyes roll back as he slumps to the ground, dying.
Taliesin inspires her allies with her words.
The half-elf casts a spell, and a bolt of force flies from her outstretched hand and strikes Shechera!
Lu moves out of the tunnel and over the fallen Shoanti, drawing her bastard sword and engaging the swordsman. The swordsman stagegrs under the force of the blow, badly wounded.
The swordsman steps back from Lu, pulls out a potion and drinks it, healing some of his wounds.
Amenhotep is up!
Amenhotep's negative energy races across the room like a tide, engulfing his enemeies!
End of Round 1!
Round 2 (partial)
Both the swordsman and morning-star man are dazed and unable to act, so Colt, Pan, Shechera, Taliesin are up!