Zurz strikes back.
Attack
Damage
Attack
Damage
The room is a bloody mess, and the treadbare tapestry hangs in the back.
A thin slit appears down the middle of the tapestry, and then its whole center tears open in a deafening rip and a crack of thunder. Planar winds whip out from the frayed fabric for several seconds as purple lightning dances in the tattered wound. The gusts die suddenly, and the fabric stretches painfully to create an aperture nearly 10 feet wide, revealing a peaceful woodland occupied by a growing army.
A woman bedecked in chainmail and scars steps through into the room and then motions for those behind her to remain still. She surveys the chamber for a moment before a broad, genuine smile cracks her tough expression. “By Hanspur’s soggy hide, I never thought I’d see this world again.” She shakes her head and wipes away a tear before it can quite form. “The name’s Wolona, bronze rank. We’ve got good news and bad news on the other side. The good’s that everyone we expected to show up did, plus some more besides. The bad news is that some of them are starting to believe we’ve set them up.” Wolona clears her throat loudly as though no more need be said.
“The only thing keeping them from just killing each other and the rest of us is my promise that there would be a welcoming committee who might prove this place exists and that it’s not all a trap.” She starts to turn back to the portal. “Think you can give them a little pep talk?”
“I hope they haven’t killed each other already” she says, and steps back into the demiplane. She returns a moment later leading an eclectic entourage of about fifteen delegates and war leaders, including humans, a halfling covered in bright war paint, a hag, a wyvaran, a yeti, a pony-sized green dragon, and more. They jostle one another while inspecting the room. This one is still alive, the wyvaran says, pointing as the paladin, then ripping open his chest with a claw, fixed that for you.
The wyvaran then sneers, looks to the group, and asks, “So which of you is the Aspis king?”
Zurz just looks a bit impressed and studies the Wyvaran
Hasn't seen one before.
Joliryn gives an appreciative chuckle as the pathfinder is evicerated, then looks to Rataji - as their nominal leader - with a raised eyebrow, curious as to how he will respond to the wyvaran's question.
You! the wyvaran bellows at Rataji, apparantly not used to courtly customs you are the Aspis King? Why do you wear no crown? Tell me, what plan do you have? We long to kill pathfinders, share us your strategy, so that we may shed the blood of a thousand humans.
Rataji spreads his arms open wide, in an all-encompassing welcoming gesture. "First, allow me to welcome all of you. Your presence here is a measure of your character and your dedication to the downfall of the Pathfinder Society. What happens here today is sure to be remembered in these halls for ages...if there are any left to remember." He smiles wickedly, then continues, addressing the wyvaran. "I wear no crown because I have no need of one - all here know my purpose. As for my plans? Why, it seems your goals align rather well with ours. You will make your way to the area outside this tower, where you may kill as many pathfinders as you like - there is no shortage, after all - while we make our way nearer the top to achieve the mission given us." He proceeds to give directions guiding the assembled terrors out of the tower. That done, he gives some parting words, "Show no mercy, give no quarter, and let their blood run freely through the streets."
The ambitious one spends more time studying the wyvaran...
A deafening roar spreads from the army commanders, and in turn, from the army beyond. It might just be the spur of the moment, but you can actually feel the the ancient tower shake in it foundations. Masses of creatures start pouring out the gates, ready to spread carnage on the grounds below.
Then, a restless looking green dragon approaches the group. Wolona spoke of a group. Tasked to neutralize the mage that command the tapestry. A powerful mage, one that owns all arcane books. I want to kill this man, I want to be part of your expedition!
But Gazwyr, Wolona says, overhearing the conversation we need you as an army commander, or else someone should take your place!
Can't pass that opportunity up!
LOL urgh!
Good, the dragon grins. Let the traitor lead the army. But don't betray us, traitor!
The Ambitious eagerly takes the head of a troupe of reptilian slaughterguards, as the army keeps pouring out of the tapestry. Gazwyr, with equal eagerness, takes his place.
Let's go kill a wizard!
The crude map that the Professional has in her possession points to the Selmius Foster library as the location of the Sky Key. Her map leads to a set of heavily reinforced wooden double doors, bulging outward slightly. One of them has a small mail slot roughly
three feet off the ground, and a buzzing can be heard from the opposite side of the doors.
322, hidden in the shadows during all of this, remains there as the horde emerges from the tapestry. What had she done? Her link to the tapestry was amazing and dreadful...yet no matter how she tried to escape its pull she was always drawn back.
The green dragon rankles at the door trying to stop its way. A strong smell of chlorine and ammonia taints the air as it begins considering treating the door to a spray of acid.
Shohiraj checks the door for traps, and finds there is a small piece of paper behind the mail slot. Sensing something wrong, she manages to poke it out with a dagger.
Joliryn checks the door for magic, and once Shohiraj finds the paper, checks it as well for good measure.
There's still a loud humming coming from the other side of the door.
"Where is the manflesh I was promised to feast upon?" The dragon looks at the door accusingly.
Shohiraj gets a partial view of a tall library is ringed by a walkway around its perimeter, which provides access to a second level of towering bookshelves. A broad Qadiran rug leads to a short pedestal within a tall glass case that itself sits within an inscribed circle—all cordoned off by a velvet rope suspended by brass poles. A strange armillary pulses with energy from atop the pedestal. Several plush chairs and a few low tables bearing curiosities and curios line the lower floor, and two decorative suits of armor stand at attention, each with a crossbow resting against its shoulder. Heatless torches blaze with remarkably even light in sconces throughout the room, and a tall pendulum clock on the eastern wall ticks each passing second.
The door is still locked, but should prove no match for the professional.
The door opens with a creak.
Inside the room is fabled master of spells, Aram Zey, taunting the agents. Trying to steal a little trinket, aren't you? Think you can just run off with it? Always too eager, always too simple.
He starts casting a spell.
He completes it before any of the group can act, and each of the agents finds his bones stiffening, and their movements becoming slower.
---
Marnarius
322
Rataji
Shohiraj
Joliryn
Gazwyr
---
Aram Zey
--
Will
The dragon finds the feeble stick-man trying to overcome its might with such low tricks rather humorous.
"Was that it? An overblown cantrip?" it retorts patronisingly.
322 feels herself stiffening up, but recognizes this man as her target from the Professor. She taps into the vast emptiness of the Tapestry, cloaking Aram in the void of space!
She then fishes a strange lantern out of her pack and holds it at the ready...
Rataji chuckles as the spell fails to find purchase. "I expected better." He proceeds to cast a spell of his own, countering the effects of the wizard's spell.
The dragon launches in, taking advantage of the haste filling its muscles.
It gets up to the feeble and weak stick man and unleashes a gout of acid!
Breath Weapon
Acid/30-ft. cone,
Reflex DC 15 for Half
Reusable in rounds.
As Rataji cancels the slowing magic of the master of spells, the experiment exposes Zey to the depths of space, while Gazwyr douses him in acid. To Gazwyr the reaction of the wizard to the acid seems unnatural: he is pretty certain the man is an illusion. In fact, he smells something up on the balcony ().
Marnarius prepares a poisoned arrow.
---
Marnarius (normal)
322 (normal)
Rataji (hasted)
Shohiraj (normal)
Joliryn
Gazwyr (hasted)
---
Aram Zey
--
Joliryn follows Gazwyr toward where the master of spells appears to be.
Joliryn moves as the master of spells prepares another spell, which he finished with surprising quickness, then aims a dark blast at the artist in a second casting.
---
Marnarius (normal)
322 (normal)
Rataji (hasted)
Shohiraj (normal)
Joliryn
Gazwyr (hasted)
---
Aram Zey (+4 ac)
--
"Hes on the ledge!" Gazwyr calls out the wizards location.
By pure effort of willpower, Joliryn is able to hold onto her mind as Zey's spell hits. Hearing Gazwyr identify where the caster is really standing, she spins and flings a spell of her own at the area the dragon indicated, before moving again, this time toward the stairs up to the mezzanine.
322 causes a fine, shimmering black dust to cover herself, becoming even harder to see!
She then manifests a set of translucent, inky wings and flies into the room and up to the balcony, landing softly and looking for a target. Seeing nothing, she causes a magical field to appear around her, glowing with a chaotic blast of multicolored hues.