[PFS_CORE_Aerondor] 06-04 Beacon Below (Inactive)

Game Master Aerondor

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Doubtful frowns, looking around at the rest of the room, sure that the creature at the back is trying to distract them from something!

Perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (2) + 14 = 16

Doubtful notes nothing other than the talker.

Lem recognises the creature as a gynosphinx. And from the looks of it, one that has been mummified.

"Parallel lines, walking side by side, but never meeting." agrees the creature with Lem.

"The flames were servants of Badru, a wicked creature who lives below. What would your mothers call each of you?"

"There's a 'below'?" Doubtful suddenly mutters, as he pictures all the doors that won't open and the state of his wand once they get through it all.

"Figures."

He does not look at all eager to tell this creature his name.

Hmm... is it a real mummy? Ie: are we all going to be paralyzed with fear in a moment? =)

Knowledge (religion): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

Lem regards the others briefly before answering. In truth it would depend on her mood and my actions, but most of the time she called me 'son".

It looks like a real mummy. It could be that it is actively supressing its aura, or you are not close enough to be affected, yet.

"You light up her day? That which has not been seen by such as I for many a year."

"I am Irizati. And she never met him but this is Baloo."

Irizati looks around the room.

perception: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29

Irzati notices something odd and misty hanging around about the doorway..

"Ahh, now there is a riddle I can appreciate. A mother who has never met her son? Did she die in childbirth?"

"My mother has never met my companion who's name is Baloo."

"My mother and all call me Pyra".

" Then in the names of your mothers, greetings to you all. If all you wish to do is catalogue, then the head librarian should point you toward the catalog that already exists to the north of the blooming desert. But if nobody asks her, who is to know?"

"And your name?" Doubtful asks suspiciously, noticing she has not said.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Happy to meet you mighty Sphynx. I'm Jair, servant of knowledge and secrets and like Lem says, we only here to preserve and protect. We already have destroyed the servants trying to burn scrolls and books. As for my mother, I have one, and she calls me her treasure even if I was worthless when she tries to sell me.

After a short silence she adds You talk about this Badru, who is he ? What quarrel did it has with you?

She offers Doubtful a wry smile.
“Answers to such a simple riddle lie in the deathless thoughts of one such as I. Saruna now speaks, despite having long since died.”

To Jair she replies "Badru is a riddle unto himself. Who sought eagerly that was Saruna was deceived into? You know the answer to this."

The dwarf frowns, trying to get his head around Saruna's strange way of speaking.

"I am Doubtful." He finally says... though in such a way as to make it seem like he's expressing uncertainty, rather then saying his name.

It is indeed a pleasure to meet in you Saruna and I am quite sorry about your dying and all. But what I would like to know is if you are interested in helping us. It seems that we must contest with this Badru fellow as we wish to save and catalog the contents of this vault. Can we work together?

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (9) + 18 = 27

"What is the work of the glue?" says Saruna in answer to Lem.

"A tale of blood and gems these walls would tell. The sage asked for commitment of heart and soul; he left cold stone and a ragged hole. ” she adds sadly.

"To catalogue the archive you must visit the beacon below. The way is guarded though. Only through Bardu may the trip be made and Saruna freed."

Yes, we would free you if we can. What aid might you offer. And what is this beacon below?

"Probably the bit that required a sage jewel to get into." Doubtful mutters, already sure its true.

"Can you open the damned doors?" He adds, thinking of all the arcane locks.

"Doors keep out enemies, not friends" notes Saruna to Doubtful. She then thinks for a bit. "A pond may provide life for the thirty man who drinks, or for the hungry crocodile who lies within. Saruna has thoughts about how a new jewel may be made.."

The dwarf just looks confused by her response, unsure if she's calling them enemies, or intends to eat them, or more likely both. Either way, he's suddenly not thirsty.

"I am a friend, the doors will not stop me." she elaborates to the confused Doubtful.

I know you were the coolest creature that we can encounter here my Lady!

Says with a genuine smile Jair. She asks Can you guide us through the complex? and help us restore this place to its former splendor ? We are working for the new head of the Jewel Sage and all help you can provide will help the Jewel Sages.

"Your master may be the answer to the riddle that keeps Saurna's chains." she says - still obviously a little suspicious of the order.

Your eyes are taken with the statue she was sitting in front of.

"Does the flower welcome the bee? Such would be Saruna's pleasure in showing your around the archive. Once the foul Badru is disposed of."

Knowledge (history): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11

Doubtful hit the limit of his knowledge of ancient Osirion gods with Ptah. This new one is entirely unknown.

Jair take her time to look at the statue. Know. (religion): 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 9 + 2 = 15 but the statue isn't in her book.

Dear Saruna, what is the statue on which you are seated ?

She continues, smiling It will be our honor -and pleasure- to follows you around the archive and take care of the Badru, once and for all.

after a slight pause, she adds But didn't the flower need the bee to grow and reproduce?

Think we are waiting on Lem to make knowledge checks. Might have to bot him.

"This is the statue of Thoth" she admits.

"A god whose domain my profession lies in."

The dead sphinx gives a dry smile to Jair "But which came first? the bee or the flower?"

know(lem): 1d20 ⇒ 17

Lem nods "Yes, yes it is Thoth. Patron of archivists and libraries"

With a nod Saruna leads you out of the temple and down the dead-end to the right. She then walks through the wall at the end.

"Come follow."

She leads you into a twisting set of passages. Intricate glowing hierogphyhics line the corridors here.

Numair follows, still faintly bemused at the fact that the paladin has been willing to ally with a mummy, but smart enough not to actually tease the paladin about it...

Doubtful frowns, as Saruna gets up to lead them down the hall.

His frown grows deeper, when she easily opens the door at the end of the hall.

"Probably leading us to where they turn us into mummies." He grumbles.

He eyes all the hieroglyphics suspiciously, not able to make any of them out.

Well, don't think anyone speaks ancient Osirion, but hopefully someone can make the linguistics check =)

those with comprehend languages active can make those checks...

You arrive at the top of a set of web choked stairs.

"I cannot go below. But bring me the 'heart' of the doll that Bardu now lives in. And I will create for you a new jewel that will open the way below."

Irizati didn't understand all of the weird talking but that statement was clear enough. Or so he hopes.

"What happens to him after that? He finds a new doll to live in? Or are you asking us to kill him?"

I understand the language, but don't have either of the two required skills, so I can't attempt the check.

"Two there are that should have died. Neither has a heart. But you speak with one who did not choose her fate, such is not the case with the other." riddles Saruna.

A good guy this Toth, I could almost worshiped him If I wasn't already engaged Says with a genuine smile Jair as Saruna explains what god Toth was.

During her walks, Jair is intrigued by all the hieroglyph and their meaning. She decides to use her scroll of comprehend language to study them from time to time.

Profession (librarian): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

After a while, she stops, her face worried.

Guys, I think someone is stealing the knowledge that this place holds. While studying the scrolls and parchments, I've notice that pieces of the collection are missing and even as I was watching, more were disappearing! We must hurry and find who's responsible.

She turns to Saruna I've you noticed that before ?

Saruna looks at the hierogphyh's with concern. "This is a mystery to Saruna. Bardu must have slipped even lower, though Saruna did not know that he even had access. You must hurry."

Lem looks concerned. There is still much on this level that we have not explored. I worry that there is knowledge or perhaps tools we will need here to face the challenges below? Is there more you can tell us of this Bardu or perhaps items you can loan us to help us in the coming fight?

I always worry about leaving areas unexplored...

Which would have been fine, if we could easily open the doors...
She did (I think) offer to open them for us, if we help her. =)

You are aware now that time is important, as documents continue to vanish, however you can learn a little about Bardu and the history of the area. Badru was originally another assistant to the Amethyst sage (who Saruna also worked for). Worried about the orders enemies closing in, the sage spent a lot of time researching ways to extend his life. Two of his servants were the targets of his experiments, one willing and one not so. Saruna was the head librarian, and Bardu the chief archivist of the order. Over the last few thousand years the two have warred over these halls and their different views of their unnaturally extended existances.

Lem looks concerned. There is still much on this level that we have not explored. I worry that there is knowledge or perhaps tools we will need here to face the challenges below? Is there more you can tell us of this Bardu or perhaps items you can loan us to help us in the coming fight?

I always worry about leaving areas unexplored...

Does Saruna respond to Lem here?

"There is a wealth of knowledge on this floor. As to whether it will help you... I don't know exactly what challenges you will face. If you recover the gem at Bardu's heart, the knowledge within me will be used to help transform it for you. But if the archive is being looted then I fear you do not have the luxury of time to just browse."

In this case, let's find Bardu and deal with it to stop these thefts. Knowledge is too important to be destroyed.

Says Jair who adds turning to the sphinx Please, guide us to Bardu.

Lem nods in agreement.

"Bardu is down the stairs.." notes Saruna.

"I will try to join you, but my sizes makes travel down there difficult and time is of the essence."

"Down we go then."

Pyra' hasn't posted since late January so we may need a roll call to confirm we are still here.

Doubtful scowls at the mass of webbing blocking the way.

"Nothing but giant spiders down there?" He mutters unhappily. "Now where are all the fire elementals."

OK its official... Guards and Wards spell sucks =)

He pulls out a torch, and lights in, then slowly starts his way down the stairs, burning off webbing as he goes.

And it'll all probably be back by the time we try to come back up 8P

Could burn the rest of the wand trying to get rid of it...

Torch'll work... just a little slower =)

1 square can be burnt per round per source of flame. Irizati can change into or summon a fire elemental but I'm not enthusiastic about using resources when it will all grow back. Plus if there is mist below we will want the whirlwind again.

The team slowly makes their way down the stairs. Toward the bottom there is a barricade that seems to have been hastily erected.

1d20 + 15 ⇒ (13) + 15 = 28

Doubtful burns his way down the stairwell, waiting to run in to the monsterous spider that spun them all.

He suddenly stops, frowning, then points towards a point along the floor, about ten feet ahead.

"Some kinda magical trap or something?" He growls, unsure. "Don't know much about that sort of thing."