[PFS_CORE_Aerondor] 05-16 Sanctum of the Sages (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

If the statue could sneer you get the feeling it would. If a stone could grow in confidence this one certainly would.

With three targets around, the creature swirls its staff with aplume.

attack Urias: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 28
attack Zax: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 19
attack Mont: 1d20 + 5 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 5 + 2 + 1 = 12
damage, Urias: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Urias takes a hefty blow, and his wound too starts to bleed.

Status, bold may post:
Urias : 10 damage; 1 point NL damage; 3 point CON damage; (Fatigued )
Zax 23 damage; bleed 2; Cats grace
Monterey : 2 point CON damage; 50 damage; bleed 2; mage armor; Bulls Strength
Electra : 2 NL damage, (fatigued); mage armor ;
Earth elemental (aiding Monterey)
Silgil : 1NL damage (fatigued); mage armor ; has lamp #3
Talan
Ptah(blue) 36 damage

Lamps: 2,4,Silgil, 14

Once more, Zax attempts to strike the enemy!

Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
SS vs FFAC: 1d20 + 8 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 8 + 3 = 23 for Damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

I think I'll hold with those rolls and not use Rally.

Are these lanterns color coded or anything? If the statues represent scarab sages, perhaps the lanterns should be distributed according to the color of jewel they represent? Or is there any other way to determine which lantern goes with which statue?

Standard Action
Monterey continues his desperate assault, as his adreneline starts to fade. Last round of rage.
Greatsword Attack (Power Attack, Rage, Titan Rage, Bull's Strength): 1d20 + 9 - 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 9 - 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 32
Greatsword Damage (Power Attack, Rage, Titan Rage, Bull's Strength): 2d6 + 8 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (4, 6) + 8 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 30

Crit Confirm - Greatsword Attack (Power Attack, Rage, Titan Rage, Bull's Strength): 1d20 + 9 - 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 9 - 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 15
Crit Damage - Greatsword Damage (Power Attack, Rage, Titan Rage, Bull's Strength): 2d6 + 8 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (6, 6) + 8 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 32

Swift Action
Fleet Charge again. 1 more mythic point used.
Greatsword Attack (Power Attack, Rage, Titan Rage, Bull's Strength): 1d20 + 9 - 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 9 - 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 15
Greatsword Damage (Power Attack, Rage, Titan Rage, Bull's Strength): 2d6 + 8 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (3, 1) + 8 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 24 - Ignores DR

If there is a red lamp electra will put it into the ruby sages hand. She will start to align the sages with the lamps.
"Hold them at bay, I think I have an idea!"

The lanterns themselves don't seem special, but the light that refracts from them changes as the lanterns change position.

Zax knocks a couple of small chips off the statue, probably enough to stop it healing, but hardly a decisive blow.

Monterey, after a few moments of unease when his initial assault didn't repeat its success from the first statue lands a solid blow. It tries to block it.

attack: 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 10 + 2 + 1 = 31

But Monterey's blow is devistating and the final statue shatters into dozens of pieces.

Electra takes one of the lanterns and puts it in to the hand of the ruby sage. The light changes, and a beam of red light bounces from the crystal door and onto the left most plinth.

As you are out of combat now, you can try lots of combinations quite easily, you do still have some bleeding to worry about though

Status, bold may post:
Urias : 12 damage; bleed 2; 1 point NL damage; 3 point CON damage; (Fatigued )
Zax 25 damage; bleed 2; Cats grace
Monterey : 2 point CON damage; 52 damage; bleed 2; mage armor; Bulls Strength
Electra : 2 NL damage, (fatigued); mage armor ;
Earth elemental (aiding Monterey)
Silgil : 1NL damage (fatigued); mage armor ; has lamp #3
Talan

Enguntrained: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 = 10

OK then, Silgil puts his lantern on the other statue they recognized, then starts trying different statues with the other two lanterns until they've found all four statues that represent sages.

Urias tries his best to stem the bleeding.
Heal 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
Spitting into his hand, a thick wet rag he bgins applying a firm pressure to it.

Zax will channel to heal the party members so to halt any bleeding that the party has. He'll then offer his wand of Cure Light Wounds to anyone that needs it. Everyone can use as many charges as needed to regain full health, just roll for it.

Channel: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 3) = 9

CLW on Zax: 4d8 + 4 ⇒ (7, 2, 1, 7) + 4 = 21

Kn Eng: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

"It seems that the angle is what matters. We want the four beams to end up in the four depressions. We just need to find the remaining two."

Monterey performs his final swing, and immediately falls to the ground panting. He lays there, exhausted, for a good minute while the party figures out what to do.

The channeling stops the parties bleeding, and with a bit of effort you can eventually work out the right combination of statues to put the various lanterns in.

Well, technically bleeding says is a removed by a spell that cures hit point damage, but I think channeling should count too

As the four pillars each receive light on them that corresponds to their colours, the gem encasing Amenopheus vanishes.

"I'm sorry, I obviously didn't full understand the defenses of this place. I'm not too sure exactly what happened or why, but let us continue before any more guardians can activate."

The crystal door blocking the way forward has a narrow split down it now, allowing it to be pushed open when you are ready.

Urias still has light wounds, Monterey serious ones.

Status,
Urias : 3 damage; 1 point NL damage; 3 point CON damage; (Fatigued )
Zax Cats grace
Monterey : 2 point CON damage; 43 damage; mage armor; Bulls Strength
Electra : mage armor ;
Silgil : mage armor ;
Talan

Zax will use his wand to patch up his noble friends.

Urias: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Monty: 8d8 + 8 ⇒ (6, 6, 1, 6, 1, 8, 6, 6) + 8 = 48

When the party is ready Zax will proceed to the doors. He Detect Evil before then opening them.

Talan, having been marginally less than useful against the statues, mutters to himself about needing to practice more and the unfairness of the randomality of the universe.

Still the foes are defeated, everyone is alive, and the wizards have managed to work out the trickery with the statues. He will follow behind Zax to explore the next rooms, drawing out his wand of magic missile just in case. His other options are rather spent at this point.

After a relaxed examination of the room, Silgil heads towards the slit and opens it, provided one of the others has not already done so.

Zax detects no evil beyond the portal.

A broad, simple, flat-topped column of sandstone rises from a deep pit in this circular, domed chamber with a white tiled floor. Though no wind can be felt, particles of sand slowly blow around the pit as if circulated by a lazy breeze, their movement creating a soft, rasping susurrus.

The only occupant of this room is a Garundi woman bedecked in the style of an Osirian noblewoman. She looks pleased.

"Amenopheus! I am pleased you reached me before the.. competition. Welcome Home. I am the Diamond Sage, and I have followed your exploits over the last decade. I thought now was the time to emerge and contact you."

"But why.. why remain hidden so long?" asks your companion. "We might have accomplished so much if we had met sooner. I would have us rebuild the order of the jeweled sages!"

Feel free to interrupt if you want

Status,
Urias : 3 point CON damage;
Zax Cats grace
Monterey : 2 point CON damage; mage armor; Bulls Strength
Electra : mage armor ;
Silgil : mage armor ;
Talan

Urias leans onto his halberd, content to watch and rest for the moment.

Monterey nods to Zax. "Thanks for the pick-up."

"So, you've just been hanging out here or something?" Monterey then remembers the Ruby Sage's power. "No disrespect meant, ma'am. I mean, that's quite a long time to remain in hiding."

The woman shakes her head. "No, I have been out in the..world. "

The two start to discuss the history of their order and how it operated. You gather each sage was an equal, except in their area of specialty. However the organisation was flawed as is seen by its current state.

"How did this happen? And how can we make it stronger for the future?" ponder the sages.

Amenopheus interprets the collapse of the Jeweled Sages as an unfortunate accident driven by outside forces, namely the invasion
of Osirion by the Kelish thousands of years ago. Had it not been for this calamity, the Jeweled Sages would have continued to thrive.

The Diamond sage, who you learn is named Tahonikepsu views things differently.
"The invasion and subsequent purge of the Jeweled Sages reflects a critical weakness in the organization. Spread out and without a strong leader, the order could not respond quickly and effectively to a new threat."

Zax interrupts in order to clarify something he heard. You mentioned a competition. What did you mean by this exactly?

"The pathfinders are not the only institution in the world that could be harnessed" notes Tahonikepsu.

"If they were to be worthy allies, it seemed only fair to allow them to prove it, but also dropping clues about me to.. the opposition."

"So... a competition between Pathfinder and Aespice Consortium? That was your goal? But why? We're different enough you could have made a decision without a competition."

"What am I saying! Everyone like to play us off against each other to get the better deal - why should you be any different. It rarely works out for the victim when the consortium wins, but then I'm prejudiced. What is it you want to use us for anyway?"

"I don't think that's exactly what she wanted." Urias considers her words after some observation.

"She has being out in the world." he begins ticking off points as he coughs.
"She has stated that the pathfinders are not the only insitiution that she has observed. I assume our respective organsiations has something that has caught her interest. Furthermore she doesn't just want any other ally but one strong enough to hold its own, resourceful enough to accomplish their goals and most importantly something about herself being known." Urias he stares up at the woman.

"You are the Diamond Sage. The Ruby Sage is well a ruby. Amenopheus is the Sappire Sage. So how many more Sages are there? How long exactly have you being the Sappire Sage....."

She looks disappointed. "There were four sages. As for the pillars you saw in the previous room."

"Four equal pillars" adds in Amenopheus. "The order’s egalitarian organization structure as a key source of strength, allowing each member to act independently when needed."

The Diamond sage retorts that "Without consistent, decisive leadership, the Jeweled Sages will always be vulnerable and disorganized whenever a new threat strikes."

It looks like the two are unlikely to come to an agreement and the conversation moves on to discussions about how to rebuild the order.

This was one of the key moments in season 5, which helped determine the changed factions for season 6. It is an RP rich opportunity, but I'm not sure how well it really translates into PBP. I'm happy to keep posting it like this, or could just dump you some text to read.

"Well... we know there's the one you found, Urias. And they presumably sold another one somewhere. We have 4 out of the 5 already. We just need to find people to give them to."

Talan listens with moderate interest as they debate the structure of the sages and eventually holds up a scaled hand to interrupt them. "Beg your pardon, but no one seems to have heard of you before, and the room before didn't show anything about a diamond sage. While I don't doubt you have good intentions... why do you presume to know what's best for the other sages when you haven't ever been a part of them? It's rather rude to show up in someone else's home and start dictating their actions."

"Because I am the Diamond sage." sighs the woman.

"But I can see you are unimpressed so..."

She shimmers and a moment later a large dragon sits in the middle of the meeting chamber.

"Don't question things you know so little about little one."

Trying to defuse the situation Amenopheus bring the conversation back to rebuilding the order. He lays out his plans "We must recruit additional sage jewels and new prospective sages. I think we should recruit from among the most learned scholar. This is aligned with the founding principles. It is also safest for those who join. A prospective member who lacks a disciplined mind could be overwhelmed by the millennia of memories they suddenly acquire."

The dragon hisses. "Yes, we must recover more jewels and more recruits. While academics might help with the retention of information, they are hardly likely to use any. No, we need sages who are willing to apply their knowledge to better the world.. We need active and innovative sages who can advise current leaders and participate in history, not simply record it."

With a smile, Electra nods."You know, you have just described the pathfinder society! Trust me, listening to the stories of others, we also shape the world. I just remember a city named Alabastrine, but well I disgress!"

Looking up at the dragon who just appeared, Urias scoffs.
"Impressive..........I'm not impressed."

"So you wish to recruit? The society can aid there as for whom you wish to recruit, I assue you both have your views but I do agree on having a centralised leadership. If everyone is doing their own thing, if an attack comes, no one will be prepared as you're all likely be discussing how to deal with the threat while it deals with each of you. Furthermore, if the Diamond Sage like yourself has shown, there could be other Sages now isn't it? Or Jewels like the Ruby Sage." he adds in the last as an afterthought.

"I hate committees. They never get anything done. A good strong leader is your best bet. You can argue all you want but that has been my experience."

Tahonikepsu nods approvingly to Silgil and Urias, while Amenopheus looks a little concerned.

"Yes, we need to recruit, and yes, there are other jewels. The Topaz sage is missing for certain." She looks to Amenopheus "You see, your lack of strong leadership has caused these followers of yours to agree with me, rather than you. You have lost their trust just as you lost the trust of the rulers of Osirion. How would your leadership help us rebuild that? It cannot. You wish to embrace a failed model for our future."

The Sapphire sage's shoulder's sage a bit, and he looks for a moment like an old man. "Yet why should we trust you. Until a few minutes ago we had never met you. I have served faithfully as the Osirion faction leader for years. I have experience of leadership. Giving you the leadership of the sages seems like an irresponsible gamble. Nobody knows your qualifications or background."

Tahonikepsu sighs. "We will not agree. I call a convocation of Sages! This will determine the leadership. And I vote for myself."

Amenopheus immediately says "And I vote for myself, we are no futher advanced."

The dragon smiles. "Then let the Ruby sage express her preferences."

Up to you now, you don't all have to agree, but make it clear who you are voting for, or you can offer an alternative.

Electra ponders for a moment before answering.
"Every coin has two sides, every action a reaction. Man and Woman. Strong and soft. Booth sides complete a being.
I fear the jewels have fallen into disarray.. because they had one leader. Not the wrong leader. But just one!
I think Amenophis has not managed to be the best he could be, because there was no counterpart to him, who asked him if the action was the best. And I think if you Tahonikpheus will lead them, you will also be the best you can be, but not offer the best leadership. Because even a dragon as old and wise as yourself is just one being. Embrace each others and you are active, where he is reserved. One can be the one who is curious, the other one the one who will take the wisdom and information gained and take care it is safely stored and distributed wisely. I see that the gods made one of you male, the other female as a sign that you are together more than the sum of the singles."

"I vote for Amenopheus. It doesn't have to do with the points presented, it has to do with tenure." Monterey thinks with a militaristic mind, so there's a chain of command to respect, and Amenopheus has it.

Silgil has already expressed his support for Tahonikepsu.

I believe that a leadership should be continuous and not changed due to the whims of another. Let Amenopheus continue to lead the Sages, however any leader will need strong support from his allies.

Well Electra. The Men has spoken. It leaves the Woman to be the tie breaker. Urias will support Tahonikepsu.

And Talan!

Talan is at work and can't do a long post, but thinks dragons are savvy and votes for Tahon. He also points out that Urias had the topaz gem.

"And is this a Jewel Sage as well?" Urias brings out the Topaz.

"That is a sage gem" both Amenopheus and Tahonikepsu agree. Nice they can agree on some things.

"Although it has not yet chosen it's associate."

Tahonikepsu gives Amenopheus a hard look. "It matters not at this stage." The Sapphire sage reluctantly agrees.

And handily, you voted the way the majority of folk in season five ended up voting, so the story is not broken!

Tahonikepsu returns to her human form and the two sages request the return of the Topaz gem. With her task completed, the spirit of the Ruby sage leaves you all - but with a parting gift of greatness.

"Rest assured pathfinders, while the Jeweled Sages are impartial, we will continue to work with the Pathfinder society. Amenopheus, I ask that you continue as ambassador to the society."

Kafar and Nefti, impressed by your abilities join the Society as well and are able to provide many secrets of the Aspis consortium.

I'll try to do Chronicles tonight, but if I don't they'll be a few days as I am away over the weekend.

Feel free to ask any final questions to resolve bits of the story line that may have not been clear.

Urias needs to go clean up

Urias hands over the Gem readily as he prepares for the long journey home. He couldnt wait to put his journey behind him........

"We're not having a long journey home, my friend. These two aren't Osprey, I think they'd be willing to give us a lift back to a pathfinder lodge for them, considering we recovered 2 sage gems and a lead onto the last one for them."

Electra would first ask to share spells with her fellow pathfinders. Second try to get another scarab sage tasks

Recover a gem worth at least 600 or 1200 if magic.
As the old faction goals I would like to know if I can change the one from last time

Yeap, you can have that, but there is also one about recovering a sage gem, that may be harder to get in another adventure...

Amenopheus is more than happy to give you a teleport back to Absalom, and provides his thanks for your efforts as well.

@Electra
Silgil will share with you, spell for spell.

Electra has: Comprehend Language, Enlarge Person, Silent Image, Protection from Evil, Glitterdust, Invisibility

Silgil has:
- Cause Fear (copied)
- Charm Person
- Color Spray (copied)
- Enlarge Person
- Grease
- Mage Armor
- Magic Missile
- Ray of Enfeeblement
- Shield (copied)
- Sleep (copied)
- Summon Monster I
- Unseen Servant
Level 2
- Cat's Grace
- Glitterdust

So Cat's grace for Invisibility; Comprehend Language, Silent Image, and Protection from Evil for 3 1st level spells of your choice.

Do we need to get this added to the chronicle sheet?

Electra will copy Unseen Servan Shield and enlarge Person. if possible.

Yeap, you can have that, but there is also one about recovering a sage gem, that may be harder to get in another adventure...

Amenopheus is more than happy to give you a teleport back to Absalom, and provides his thanks for your efforts as well.

Those are the season 8 goals. I wanted to know if I can Tick off Explore an ancient site for the last one and the gem one for this one?

[]Recover a gem worth at least 400 gp plus 100 gp per level you possess during an adventure. A gem-like wondrous item
such as an elemental gem or a pearl of power fulfills this goal, but its market price must be at least twice this value.

The gem one is on Season 7, I think. But it specifically asks you to find a Sage gem, and this is about the only scenario that involves one. Since you have a Season 8 one you don't have to worry about that.