Corona swims to the edge of the animated sand easily. Keelee sinks beneath the surface for a moment before emerging several feet closer to the bank. Meanwhile, Brutus fixes a grapple within the cave and uses the rope to guide his ride into the cave. Theophilus and Thornberry make their own graceful dives into the sandflow. The trailing rope makes traversing the pool a trivial task, and soon everyone has crawled onto the stable floor of the cave.
Scraps makes a wet sound before he simply spreads his wings, flies into the cave, and lands on solid ground.
"Excellent work! You are the first humanoids to have passed the first challenge!" Iyasset congratulates you on your progress.
The natural slope of the trench combines with several artificial elements. The curved southern wall bears a slight polish and is reddish in color. An opening to the north gives way to a sandy floored corridor. A wide frieze carved with numerous hieroglyphics flanks each side of the northern exit.
"Familiarize yourselves with this area," the elemental tells you. "This is a safe place where you can rest, if you need to. The hieroglyphs tell the history of our people and your role as our prophets."
Iyasset ignores the homunculus and--especially--the leshy when speaking.
Beneath the hieroglyphs is a script that seems to alternate between different elemental alphabets.
The wall tells of Ini-Kherit, the leader of the Goanron tribe, and his attempts to reshape the physical structure of the desert in conjunction with the khamsin storms, thus slowly bringing Osirion back to its original sacred shape.
However, conflicting messages within the writing suggest that Ini-Kherit acts selfishly and seeks to keep the lost city of Tumen concealed because he fears some hidden power within.
The wall shows an inconsistent level of wear, suggesting that somebody has altered the hieroglyphics multiple times.
"Yes," Iyasset says in agreement with Brutus' assessment. "The Goanron have vandalized this sacred site with their false heresies."
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"Vandalism. How terrible. Wait, these glyphs indicate planar...yes, one moment."
She uses her hands to single out each glyph. She jerks around a bit as she and it switch control. But no matter which persona is dominant, they both seek the same thing: the truth.
"Ini-Kherit, the leader of the Goanron tribe, attempted to reshape the physical structure of the desert in conjunction with the khamsin storms, thus slowly bringing Osirion back to its original sacred shape..."
"Wait, this conflicts. This part says the Ini-Kherit acts selfishly and seeks to keep the lost city of Tumen concealed because he fears some hidden power within."
Corona tries to make sense of it. "Oh, the vandalism, I see. Losing track of the past is the easiest way to lose track of the future." She mourns.
She pulls out a club and casts Light upon it. "Iyasset, do you believe the prophets will help restore Osirion?"
"The prophets will lead to the Ainsi's ascension in the region, proving our path to be the true way to all the elemental tribes!" Iyasset answers with zeal. "Then the others will join us in restoring Tumen and establishing a glorious elemental nation!"
The elemental shakes his head with scorn in response to Theophilus' question. "The Goanron have tried to write over the true history to make their leader appear to be the one in the right."
"Before you proceed," Iyasset says as Corona begins to head forward, "I have words of advice."
While Igor prepares tea and Keelee writes her notes, Iyasset explains some of what you will encounter moving forward.
"In the next chamber, degenerate earth creatures have taken residence. They are made of sand and can shift between a flowing man-like shape and a denser pile of animated sand. Blades will do little good in harming them. If you have no clubs or staves, let me know. I will search the desert for wood to aid you."
"The Ainsi would appreciate you destroying the interlopers," he says with an expression of distaste. "However, they are not part of the trial."
"Beyond the intruders, you will find a chamber of Air. Just as you passed the sandflow, so you must navigate this piece of the Elemental Plane of Air. It is a dangerous challenge and requires a strong will to successfully traverse. You are receive a great honor as humanoids to have the opportunity to test yourselves in this way.
"Finally, in the chamber beyond, you will encounter another intruder. An oread sorcerer came to the Sandflow Source several weeks ago and managed to get as far as the chamber she is in. She is performing blasphemous rituals in order to mutated herself into a creature further bound to dirt and stone. You must remove her--preferably without bloodshed--to teach a lesson to other outsiders who would trespass upon our sacred site without invitation."
Iyasset nods approvingly when Corona qualifies Auran as the most important language.
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Thornberry ponders the situation I do not understand, why would someone do that to themselves? That sad experiment up there where I tried to become a tree aside, you don't see me trying to become a plant and I love those things! He says giving his familiar a high five.
Thornberry further thinks Do you think we will be able to talk your friends into not working together? I just don't understand why they insist on changing the facts of what happened here!
The gnome will happily try to flit on the wind after getting his answer.
He looks really impressed when Corono reveals she can speak to all thos elementals! Oh Wow! I can only talk to druids, fairies, plants and sometimes animals. That's super impressive Corona!
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Corona takes the compliment from Thornberry quite well. "Thank you, Thornberry. I do not know how to read and write these languages fluently yet. That will happen over time. I would like to learn more Sylvan as well."
Stop doing that, I'm trying to listen to Iyasset.
<But they're complimenting ME!>
Corona grunts as she asserts control and shuts up while listening to Iyasset. "I have a club, perhaps one of you fighters would be better off with it. I will cleanse them with fire."
<Heehee! FIRE!>
"Ah, you are describing sandmen. I only know the basics about them. Flanking and precision attacks do not apply to them, it's not like you can make a critical blow against them. They don't sleep or bleed either."
Listening to Iyasset's tasks, she nods. "I do wonder how we will ride the wind. It should be quite exciting. I would always prefer a nonviolent method to resolving conflict, so hopefully we can learn more from the Oread."
Before they proceed, Corona offers her club as a weapon (drawing her scimitar as a backup) and casts Mage Armor upon herself.
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”If you are offering it, I would take the club. Sounds like my axe and dagger won’t do much good. If someone else needs it I am a competent pugilist, but if these things don’t have specific pressure points I will be less effective than I would like.”
Brutus addresses Iyasset, ”About this sorcerer, are you asking us to seek a peaceful resolution, or simply one she will recover from? I can be pretty convincing without being lethal. Heavy bruising doesn’t count as bloodshed, right?”
Brutus is visibly excited at the prospect of getting to smash some heads on this trip, and as a “prophet” no less.
"Peacefully would be best," Iyasset answers Brutus. "We do not want to seem like the Goanron--so quick to solve their problems with violence--but the most important thing is that she is removed from this place."
The air elemental nods to Keelee. "It is my honor to aid the prophets," he says before turning into a whirlwind and flying out of the cave. This gives you a few minutes to speak in private before he returns with an armful of dead wood that can be used as clubs or quarterstaves.
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Thornberry ponders the situation I do not understand, why would someone do that to themselves? That sad experiment up there where I tried to become a tree aside, you don't see me trying to become a plant and I love those things! He says giving his familiar a high five.
Igor shakes his head in a way that indicates that he would have left the gnome hanging.
"But how are we to make any progreth if we ath thentientth don't experiment? You thhould totally try to turn into a tree. Alwayth try to live your betht life. Yolo." he says misting the plant and its master.
The stone floor gives way to a track of soft sand that runs from east to west and curves northward in both directions. Thin green vines and bright violet flowers protrude from the sand in various spots. The flowers give off a strong fragrance that leaves the air thick with their pleasant perfume. A skeletal human form, partially obscured by sand, lies to the west, while the roar of violently swirling winds echoes just past a sheer drop to the north.
Rounds for tracking, Round 1. Act if Bold
Brutus
Corona
Igor
Keelee
Theophilus
Thornberry
"Intruder. Not a prophet," Iyasset states in response to Theophilus' off-hand comment.
Suddenly the sandy ground beside Corona and Thornberry shifts and an animate pillar of sand rises. Corona, Igor, Keelee, and Theophilus' eyes seem to glaze over. While many of the Pathfinders succumb to the sandman's aura, the pillar speaks in Terran.
You are elementals (choose any type that tickles your fancy) bound in chains in an ancient Osirian temple. There are many other elementals bound beside you. An Osirian wizard is performing a binding ritual on one of the elementals. He is working his way down the rows of elementals, enslaving each one in turn, binding them to his will. Four large, spectral figures look on, unseen by the wizard. Two of them are air elementals and the other two are earth elementals. The spectral elementals raise their arms and the chains around you shatter.
Combat! Round 1. Bold may act.
Thornberry & Leshy (immune now)
Coronoa (must strike self for 1d8+Str-2 damage)
Theophilus (must do nothing but babble)
Brutus (immune now)
Keelee (must attack nearest creature)
Sandman
Igor (must strike self for 1d8+Str damage)
Scraps (immune)
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Corona coughs as the silver charm she totally remembered burns into her flesh.
<Oh look, it's the sandthings! Fight 'em! Hit 'em with your staff! Burn em with FIRE! Yeah yeah yeah FIRE BURN EM ALL!>
"Shut...up!" Corona clobbers herself with the quarterstaff in frustration.
<Well that was fun. But maybe you should hit them instead of yourself. I can't see anything for a bit if you die.>
Corona regains her composure. "The chains broke, I am free now. Ah, I wish."
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The gnomes green tattoos swirl to life, not only did he get to talk to the most delightfully stoned flowers, but also someone they put on their thumb. The druid smiles and concentrates and calling forth cold energy onto his nearly bleached hand. Nature didn't give me any portents or signs about this today, but that's okay
Too bad he's such an addict Thornberry thinks to himself as he watches his leshy, Sir Leshington, load an acorn.
He then tries to reach his chilled hand to the creatures skin
Satisfied at hit work, he steps back and gets Leshington all set up to fire his seed pod. Thornberry points at the sandman Acorns Loaded? Fire buddy fire!
Thornberry delights as the seedpod finds its target, with GUSTO.
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Thornberry easily reaches out to touch the undulating pillar of sand. Small ice crystals get swept away into the moving sand, but he is confident that it did something. The leshy accurately aims its acorn at the center mass. The subsequent explosion does not seem to affect the sandman much (he's not listening to you anyways).
Combat! Round 1. Bold may act.
Thornberry & Leshy (immune now)
Coronoa (-2 hp, confused)
Theophilus (must do nothing but babble)
Brutus (immune now)
Keelee (must attack nearest creature)
Sandman (-2 hp)
Igor (must strike self for 1d8+Str damage)
Scraps (immune)
The sandman easily avoids the brawler's attempt to grab hold if it. A pseudopod of sand forms and attempts to strike Brutus in return. However, he proves at least as difficult of a target as the pillar of sand. The pillar lurches towards Keelee and Thornberry while Theophilus stands staring at the images only he can see and babbles incoherently.
Combat! Round 1/2. Bold may act.
Igor (must strike self for 1d8+Str damage)
Scraps (immune)
Thornberry & Leshy (immune now)
Coronoa (-2 hp, confused) (may act normally this round)
Theophilus (attack nearest creature)
Brutus (immune now)
Keelee (must do nothing but babble)
Sandman (-2 hp)