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As the Grinning Pixie lurches and sways in the storm, Venture- Captain Calisro Benarry of the Arcadian Mariner’s Lodge grins widely as she slides a clay jug of strong Sargavan rum across her table. Though broad-shouldered and half a head taller than most humans, the intimidating half-orc speaks with an almost childlike excitement in her husky voice.
“My apologies for all the secrecy,” she says.
“I had to make sure some pirate rascal didn’t catch wind of our mission. Now that Drenchport’s a week behind us and we’re hugging the Eye of Abendego, it’s time to give you lubbers the full run-down.”
Benarry waits for the jug to make its way back to her, then takes a long swig.
“I mentioned in Drenchport that the Society wants you to explore a recently discovered ruin somewhere north of the Shackles. Well, that was partly true, but it wasn’t exactly the whole story.”
Benarry’s eyes narrow and her grin becomes unsettlingly sharklike.
“We’re actually sending you to the Gloomspires, to Old Sevenfingers’s tomb.” Chuckling softly, she slides the jug back across the table.
“Here, have another nip. Looks like you need it.”
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Sumil abstains from drinking, and passes the tankard when it's his turn. He looks a little sickly, sea voyages were never his preferred mode of transport. When the Keleshite speaks, it is with the thick accent of a man who rarely travels outside of his own country.
Good question Professor, what are we to be doing in this Sevenfinger Tombs?
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Sumil recalls that the Gloomspires are an ancient field of massive stone columns that rise from the Arcadian Ocean. Most sages say they were already old when the Ghol-Gan Empire was young. The Gloomspires are hollow and contain many chambers and passages, all of which are believed to be cursed, monster-infested, or both.
Dario also knows a bit about pirates. Sempet Sevenfingers was a legendary pirate who was active in the region 300 years ago. From his dreaded flagship, the Voracious, Sevenfingers commanded a small fleet of pirate ships. He was feared and despised for using cannibals and madmen to augment his boarding parties. Sevenfingers was a powerful wizard who dabbled in necromancy and communed with evil outsiders, entities from the Dark Tapestry, and other beings from unspeakable realms beyond Golarion.
"You are to recover the Orb of Stars for the Society. While doing so, document as much of the tomb as you can, and make it as safe as you can for future pathfinder society expeditions. The Orb is your main goal though, once you have that don't go any further down into the tomb. "
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After sharing his knowledge of the Gloomspires Sumil reads the note detailing their mission and groans.
I am not afraid of old tombs, but, The Hall of Flesh-eaters? This I am somewhat less excited to see. He sighs and shakes his head, In any cases I am ready to be off this boat. When do we head out?
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Dario is both excited and dreadful at this trip. "Indeed, 'Hall of the Flesh-Eaters' doesn't sound very welcoming. But Sevenfingers dabbled with those form the Dark Tapestry, so perhaps I can learn more about that mysterious realm."
"If we're going to be dealing with possible denizens from the Dark Tapestry, we may want to get protection from their evil influences. Protection from Evil spells could help."
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“I’ve been researching the Gloomspires for a very long time. Before I sailed to Absalom and joined the Society, I was a Free Captain here in the Shackles. Back then I learned about the Gloomspires, Old Sevenfingers, and all the treasure and secrets the old devil took with him when he sealed himself in his tomb.”
A long, rumbling growl of thunder makes Benarry pause, and she takes the opportunity to wet her lips with another swig of rum before she continues. “Since joining the Society, I’ve been able to learn even more about the Gloomspires. Most importantly, I’ve discovered that they’re tied to certain alignments of the stars, and that twice each year—beginning on the nights of the summer and winter solstices—the columns cease moving for exactly three days."
She pauses and looks at each of your.
“So, tomorrow’s the summer solstice. Now that you know the ‘where’ and the ‘when’ of this little caper, you need to know why the Society’s sending you.”
Benarry pauses again before continuing in a more conspiratorial voice.
“I recently came into the possession of a logbook once owned by the pirate captain, Mazzer Thrennt. Before Thrennt ended up as lusca-bait seven years back, he was a moderately successful pirate who shared my obsession with the Gloomspires. It turns out his log contains an inventory of the plunder he liberated over the years, including the loot he found in Sevenfingers’s tomb. One item on Thrennt’s list immediately got my attention: His log described with perfect accuracy a relic from lost Lirgen called the Orb of Stars. I’m certain that this device can manipulate the alignments of the stars—or at least how we perceive them—
and historical accounts suggest we could also use it to trick the Gloomspires into thinking that the solstice lasts more than just a day. The Society and I both want that orb, and it’s going to look really good to the folks back home if you’re able to secure it. Here,” she says, passing a sheet of parchment across the table,
“I’ve written down some of the particulars.”
"You asked about The Orb. What is the Orb of Stars? “The Saoc Brethren of Lirgen made the orb, and it seems like it can lock the Gloomspires in place long enough for us to study the site properly.”"
Looking around she asks "Any more questions?"
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Dario takes the parchment from her, glancing at it. "So we're to get into the Gloomspires when the columns naturally stop on the Solstice to retrieve an item which might stop them for far longer? Long enough to send in proper teams to excavate them?" The Professor muses on this and nods. "Simple enough of a premise, though who knows what we'll find inside."
He takes the wand from Chak Chak and examines it. "I can try, but without a wizard's training, it may take me a bit. I'm certain I can do it, see, but it's a delicate process."
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Ali nods respectfully and produces several items from his dungeoneering kit to take in his spelunking gear. And a small thrush dances about seeming to give him advice on what preparation to make.
"This is the sort of work I have prepared long and hard for, me and Archimedes here have a calling from Shelyn herself to recover the lost and ancient beauties of the world so it would be my pleasure to lead us in out ascent in the Gloomspires. I should also note that I would be more than happy to carry and use anyone's cure wands on them in case of an emergency
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It took nearly two hours to climb the narrow, winding steps to the summit of the great stone column containing Sevenfingers’s tomb. Although the swirling chaos of the Eye of Abendego lies only a hundred miles away to the east, the violent storms it constantly hurls across the seas seem to have forgotten this eerily quiet place. Surrounding the monolith are dozens of nearly identical columns, their ominous outlines stretching down into the mist. And here, atop Sevenfingers’s tomb, is a small clearing surrounded by a thick and utterly silent veil of tropical trees, hanging vines, and thick undergrowth, all shrouded in fog.
Additionally, a palpable sense of wrongness saturates the Gloom spires. Shadows flicker and move in unnatural directions, strange sounds and unidentifiable scents tease the senses.
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Sumil thinks there is something enchanted about the fog. It certainly feels wrong, but it is not magical as such.
From where you are, trees are visible. It is like there is some wet rain forest growing on the top of the massive spire.
Darius finds an old camp fire. It is maybe a week old. Within it is the charred skull and bone fragments of a humanoid. All of the bones show signs of gnawing. He also finds humanoid tracks leading along a thin path to the north.
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Stringing themselves out, the pathfinder team slowly advances. What passes for a path seems to split three ways, northwest-ish, north and south.
Odd sounds echo through the mists, as the professor loses sight of everyone but Ali, who can only just see Aria herself.
The whole setup screams "ambush" to her alert senses.
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The fog swirls about. Sometimes it almost takes on humanoid forms, but a shake of the head clears them as the next zephyr changes the mists form again.
Odd sounds can be heard. Was that the shriek of someone in pain? No, probably just a seagull.
At the back Hanabi shivers, suddenly aware that his team is all in front of him quickly vanishing into the mist, and he is sure he heard something behind him.