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Once you step into the portal, the cavern and the glass guardian fade from view and you find yourselves on an artificial island in a vast underground lake where rests the most amazing library you've ever seen-the library of the Sages. Its floor consists of thick marble tiles, and the structure is ringed by a low iron railing that minimizes accidental falls. The cavern’s ceiling rises from 100 feet in height at its edges to over 300 feet over the library. The library itself is divided into three parts, and you've arrived on the central one. On the two other parts, strange mechanical centaur-like creatures not unlike the slain ones you found in the cave you just left are waiting ceaselessly, gazing at you with suspicion as you step into the library. Another one, more massive, stands further, with a more neutral and distant attitude towards you.
A cool breeze swirls off the water of a vast underground lake surrounding the location, carrying the scent of old parchment from the vast library. To the north, three statues appear to support an immense crystal. Constellations shine in the darkness above, while a luminous solar disk drifts slowly north to south, brightening the library with golden light. A door to the south leads into a small building. The crystal supported by the statues must be the Beacon, while the solar disk corresponds to what Saruna explained to be the Sky Vault.
At first slight tremors ripple through the cavern, then the Sky Vault begins to travel toward beacon, like a meteor hurtling toward a planet in slow motion. The consequences of a collision are likely disastrous, and there very little time to try and prevent it.
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Eli looks upon the centaur-like creatures with curiosity, but noting the impending collapse of the ceiling, does not tarry.
"Curious that disaster becomes imminent upon our arrival... a consequence of using a false gem, or...?"
Eli narrows his half-elven eyes at the ceiling, wondering if it to be an illusionary disaster.
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Tyrion moves towards the beacon in order to study it while eyeing the creatures.
"They are creatures of law. Extraplanar. I don't believe they would attack us if we follow their rules." he says to his colleagues.
He adresses the outsiders in a loud voice.
"Creatures of law. I am Tyrion Wyrmbane and I serve Abadar the lawful as his inquisitor. We were tasked by the sages to explore the vault and save whatever knowledge we could find. We wish to preserve this library so its knowledge can be saved. Will you allow this? And will you tell us what we can do about the Skyvault falling on our heads? "
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Identify your companions. We seek the individual known as the amethyst sage. This land's lawful authority has marked the criminal who designates himself as the "Jewelled Sages" for execution", one the Zelekhut answers without making any aggressive overtures. It's clear the creatures want answers.
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"Atum Nakhti the Constant, servant of the Ruby Prince and former citizen of Rahadoum, protector of the Laws of Man. I swear to you that we do not know to where the Amethyst Sage has fled. But it is imperative that we save this Library and the knowledge within it before that-" he points up to the moving sun/Sky Vault, "collides with that," he points to the Beacon, "or it will be bad for us all. Or at least I imagine. If you help us prevent this disaster, we promise to help you in any way that we can."
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"Besides," Atum adds as an afterthought, "you likely refer to the former Qadiran authority of this land, but they have not held this place for many centuries . The Osirion regime has power now and it is unlikely that the Jeweled Sages would be considered criminals under Osiriani law. I serve in the palace of the Ruby Prince, the rightful ruler of Osirion; you would be wise to trust me in this matter."
But Atum just comes off like a dick.
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"There are multipe individuals who hold the title of the jeweled sage. The person you are looking for no longer exists."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"I can vouch that what Atum says to be true. As an inquisitor of Abadar I swear it so. May the Judge of all strike me down if I lie here and now.
How can we give proof of a change in rulership? The only option would be to follow us through the portal and see for yourself. But we have more pressing matters right now." Tyrion says, indicating the sky.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"You appear to be trustworthy. Very well, roam as necessary, but be advised that if one of you turns out to be a Sage, we will engage in hostilities."
The Zelekhut appear to stand down, letting you get closer to the crystal beacon. The first thing you notice is that you can't touch it. A 15-foot force sphere similar to a resilient sphere surrounds the beacon and protects it.
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"I believe Elithir had disprl bombs. Otherwise me and Atum have to break it down.
Zelekhuts, will you tell us what is going on with the sky and how we can stop it? Will you not also be slain if the sky falls?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Oswin will assist in the damaging no other way proves successful in a few seconds.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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The force sphere eventually shatters, leaving the crystal beacon unprotected! Getting close to it, Oswin feels that the fabricated jewel allows him to communicate telepathically with the beacon, which turns out to possess a rudimentary intelligence. The cleric senses that the beacon has two purposes, the first being to control the Sky Vault! Oswin immediately concentrates to order the Sky Vault to stop, but the crashing dome seems slow to react. In the nick of time, The vault stops, much to everyone's relief. Immediately, the Zelekhuts and the Marut leave.
Oswin learns that the crystal beacon allows someone bearing a jewel sage (even a fabricated one like he does) to sense the location and condition of other sage jewels. The beacon illustrates their geographic location by dimming the Sky Vault’s light slightly, causing stars and constellations to begin glowing across the cavern’s ceiling, and sweeping the sand below into a coarse image of the gem’s immediate surroundings. However, since the fabricated jewel is intrinsecally flawed, it will only allow one reading.
Tahonikepsu returns several hours after you emerge from the library, and reports that with time and care, she might be able to repair the beacon and use it to locate the other wayward sage jewels. She also compliments you on their resourcefulness, particularly with regards to the flawed sage jewel. The actions of the Amethyst Sage trouble her greatly, and she muses aloud whether other sages might have also survived the Qadiran attacks and either passed their knowledge on to proteges or secured exceptional longevity. Either way, she notes your efforts may have drawn the attention of the current bearer of the amethyst, and that sage might contact her and return to the order. Finally, she thanks you for your outstanding effort in preserving the library. Would you not have acted as swiftly, more relics would have disappeared from the vault. Moreover, you did a very good job surveying artifacts and scrolls, and have earned Tahonikepsu's respect as well as gratefulness.
When you return to show Tahonikepsu your finding, you encounter Saruna in her sanctum. She gazes at the Diamond sage with defiance, uttering cryptic words. "Shackled by purple, will transparent unfetter?" Tahonikepsu ponders the implications of that decision, then agrees to lift the geas keeping the undead sphinx bound to this place.
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Deciding to scry upon the Amethyst sage, the sand shows the sage jewel set in a strange device next to a humanoid figure with no discernible facial features. The person startles and stares at the scrying sensor before the gritty tableau collapses. The alignment of the stars suggests the amethyst sage jewel is somewhere in Katapesh or northern Nex.