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Heavy clouds are gathering above Absalom, and the city is tense with anticipation of the coming battle. Suddenly, bright light patterns flash from atop Skyreach. A few minutes later, the sound of an explosion rumbles through the city as an old wooden granary erupts in flames. A little farther away, a stone bridge collapses, dropping a group of soldiers to their deaths. Soon the air is alive with frightened screams, the sound of hurried footsteps, and moments later, the booming blare of a brass horn that rises above the din of a city in chaos. A messenger runs past, shouting: “The horn! We should gather at the Grand Lodge! Let’s go!”
Just before the horn sounds, you gather in a tight circle and share what information as you were able to glean from the townsfolk on your return to the Grand Lodge.
Flaith mentions that people have been complaining that the local bread and water taste funny today. Zeebo has learned that Sailors have been talking about a strange fog rising in the Flotsam Graveyard and at sea beyond the bay. Some even say they’ve seen the outlines of masts within the fog.
Morka, who's leading the discussion, pulls together the threads and provides some guidance about the threats that you may be facing, and provides solid recommendations on what the party should be on the lookout for during the hours ahead.
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Several agents assist in marshaling Pathfinders as Marcos Farabellus unfurls several maps of Absalom’s districts. Once a crowd has gathered, he straightens to address the gathered Society. “Pathfinders, Absalom is under attack. We have received many reports of undead saboteurs attacking armories, granaries, water supplies, and guard outposts—targeted strikes to undermine our city’s infrastructure. Absalom is losing key resources, and enough people are panicking that it’s difficult to organize an effective defense.”
Zarta Dralneen, head of the Dark Archive faction, steps forward and interjects. “I have learned someone—someone who knows our home well—has stolen the Black Echelon codebook from our archives. A force of Taldan agents attacked Absalom long ago while following those encoded orders, and with the right combination of illuminated signals, one could draw these oathsworn operatives from beyond the grave to continue their attack.”
Farabellus narrows his eyes. “That explains the acts of sabotage. Absalom’s First Guard is struggling to restore order, and they need our help. Pathfinders, stand by for instructions!”
Ollysta Zadrian of the Silver Crusade raises her sword high, announcing, “We should not wait—Absalom needs us now!” Clasping the paladin’s upraised hand with her own, Lady Gloriana Morilla adds, “Each of us has accumulated considerable influence and resources in recent years, and this is the prime opportunity for each of us to lend Absalom our strength in its our of need. We may call ourselves factions, but today we can act as one!”
Nodding with approval, Marcos Farabellus calls out to the assembled Pathfinders. “It’s decided. Pathfinders, we’re deferring to the specialized expertise of these seven organizations to rally Absalom. Seek out the leaders for instructions, and make the city proud.”
The Master of Swords continues: "It has been decided. The factions of the Pathfinder Society will coordinate the Society’s efforts to help Absalom survive from the attack. Each faction has identified a task ideally suited to its strengths and its agents’ skills, so choose your missions wisely. Most of you are best equipped to serve the needs of your own factions, but there are considerable opportunities to help Absalom by assisting other factions directly. Now is not a good time to be selfish—you’re all in this together!"
Ollysta Zadrian is nowhere to be found in the Grand Lodge. You quickly head out into the city and, not surprisingly, you find her finishing off a dastardly undead saboteur. She turns and offers a hearty greeting.
“I’m pleased to see you have come to Absalom’s aid in its darkest hour. As you may have heard, undead creatures have attacked various locations within the city, and scouts have reported that an army of demon-flesh abominations is assembling in the Cairnlands. The holy warriors of the Ascendant Court would be instrumental in a war against such holy creatures, and I have begun coordinating the faithful. I know Absalom is home to more of the faithful than I have seen. Most notably absent are Sarenrae’s blades, and my close ally Scion Lady Xerashir of House Shamyyid at the Temple of the Shining Star has not answered the call to arms. I can only assume that something has waylaid her and her comrades. My presence is required here, but I am trusting you to investigate the matter and lend any aid necessary.”
You quickly make your way to the main Temple of Sarenrae. You push open the immense front door and peer inside. Nothing is moving, and there is no sound from within. The smell of incense is heavy in the air at the Temple of the Shining Star, but it is ominously quiet in the vast Sarenite prayer room. Statues and other religious objects have been placed in concentric circles atop a massive sundial. Opposite the sundial is a portable lens-like device that seems to focus light like a magnifying glass. Your calls of greeting go unanswered. All you see is the massive Sun Dial and the large portable lens.
Morka, Shukara and Zeebo notice that footprints and small objects littering the floor suggest a powerful and sudden force dragged people within the temple toward the sundial, but the tracks suddenly end 10 feet short of the sundial.
Examining the lens
All of you notices it is possible adjust the lens’s angle, focusing sunlight into a stronger beam of light.
Examining the Sun Dial
Detects faint Evocation on the lens, and strong Conjuration on the Sun Dial.
In addition to it being possible to adjust the lens’s angle, focusing sunlight into a stronger beam of light, Morka points out that the lens is intended to empower spells and that the beam of light should be aimed at a magical focus.
Morka is also able to deduce that the sundial was used as a central focus for a powerful spell, and the objects around the sundial were intended to function as foci for a conjuration spell, determining the parameters of the spell.
It appears the lens must be re-focused toward the sundial. Hudor puzzles over the controls as Zeebo reaches up and cranks a knob, saying "I think it's as simple as turning this--"
A whirling portal of intertwined bright and dark energies opens, completely filling the sundial area, right up to the parameters defined by the objects around it's perimeter.
Zeebo turns and offers a smug smile, saying "Told yo--"
Before he can finish the phrase, he's sucked back into the portal with a shriek, and the rest of the party soon follows, being inexorably drawn in.
Your cries of alarm as you fall through the portal end with a solid thud when you land in a dusty realm on another plane.
See map
A winding labyrinth stands before you, and the whirling portal still remains open behind you. The Spellcrafty types are fairly certain that as long as the lens is aimed at the sundial back in Absolom, your portal will remain open. Even as they explain this to the martial types, a loud female voice shouts commands in the Kelish language off in the distance, and you hear the sounds of battle—the Sarenites must be near!
Forgoing subtle approach the party rounds the bend and spots a couple of nasty, evil-looking rams. They bray loudly and a shiver runs down your spines. They paw the ground, looking ready to charge.
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“Oh this is al so phasinating, does anyone know where we are?
- on rams
Morka swiftly moves behind the paladin Flaith. “I think I’m just gonna stay behind you. You’re nice and big heheh.” He uses her as cover and fires his bow at the first ram closest to the party.
//sorry I can’t move myself in on the phone. I’d love next to the paladin in the left I guess.
Morka takes aim and looses an arrow at the enemy!
-- arrow damage
the Halfling steps up next to the paladin and unleashes an arrow into the blue fiendish ram, inflicting a serious wound in the creature.
Duath takes careful aim at a fiendish ram, but the sight of ichor drooling from its mouth causes him to recoil at just the wrong moment and the shot goes wildly astray. The rams bleat their defiance and smite-ily charge the archers.
Hudor's ray of cold shoots over the head of the ram, causing it to bleat.
Zeebo's fire is as ineffectual as Hudor's ice.
The monk emits a simple grunt and steps up and attacks.
While Shukara fails to strike anything vital, she does deal a hard blow to the blue ram, who wobbles a little but remains on its feet.
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“Good hits everyone! Keep going!” Morka shouts excitedly as he lets loose another arrow.
//so, if the blue goat is dead, he will shoot at yellow, but if it’s still alive Morka will 5fr back and shoot.
Morka takes aim and looses an arrow at the enemy!
— not taking into account precise shot becuase I don’t have the feat. So please take into conciserarion the -4.
-- arrow damage
Duath sinks an arrow deep in the chest of the blue ram and it collapses to the ground. Morka takes careful aim and fires at the remaining fiendish ram, but just before the arrow strikes, the ram sidesteps the onrushing paladin and the arrow just misses. Luckily, it's just enough of a distraction that Flaith's attack strikes home.
The ram bleats its indignation and attacks the paladin, to little effect.
As Shukara's blade whirls in a flurry of blows, the fiendish ram crumples under her onslaught...and the beast is no more.
You quickly wend your way through the Labyrinth, following the sounds of battle. As you round yet another corner, you come upon the Sarenites, who are just finishing off the last of their foes. Their leader steps forward. Scion Lady Xerashir of House Shamyyid offers a bow and her thanks.
“Someone must have tampered with the magical foci we used, causing the spell to fail. When we completed the ritual, a gateway formed that
drew us into that Abyssal realm. As the portal closed behind us, I could see a woman’s silhouette as she tossed something through the portal and grimly intoned, ‘My sister’s memory earns you mercy.’ It was this,” she reports, holding up a silver holy symbol of Sarenrae, stamped with the word ‘Oppara,’ and notched as if by a blade.
“This style only saw use in Taldor by hidden congregations, including one that reactionary Opparan officials tried to stamp out about six years ago. Was there not a prominent leader in the Society who lost a sister in that incident? A pasha who went rogue? This alone may not be evidence of her involvement, but whoever sent us to the Abyss seemed to want us trapped, not killed.”
You quickly lead the Sarenites back to the portal and return to Absolom.
Amenopheus and Tahonikepsu, leaders of the Scarab Sages faction, busily review brittle scrolls in the Pathfinder Society’s Starhall as they search for forgotten weapons of war that might be turned to Absalom’s defense. Amenopheus steps away to meet with you as you approach.
The Sapphire Sage carries a weathered scroll marked with silvery ink. “As you know, rebuilding our ancient order has been the main priority of the Scarab Sages, but we also take a keen interest in wondrous technology from the past and how those discoveries could benefit the present. This isn’t the first time Absalom’s fallen under attack, and there are untold defenses secreted away beneath centuries of new construction. Tahonikepsu and I have recovered several promising leads that--“
Tahonikepsu interrupts without looking up. “Amenopheus! This scroll speaks of a ritual that turns Absalom’s walls into living fire and its streets into carnivorous sand! Such potential! What a sight to behold!”
Wide-eyed with shock, Amenopheus warily turns to look back at his colleague. “To say nothing of that being more dangerous to our citizens than to the invaders, the city patched up that glaring problem several years ago after the Decklands almost leaked it to our enemies.” Tahonikepsu visibly deflates before she grabs another scroll and voraciously continues her research. “As I was saying, we have identified a more promising and ancient defense described by—and perhaps built by—the wizard Beldrin centuries ago. This so-called ‘Gulgamodh’ is a weapon that lies buried beneath a fountain in the Precipice Quarter. I ask that you identify it, locate it, and activate it for use in the battle to come.”
Amenopheus hands Shukara a key and a yellowing map with a location called the Titan’s Fountain marked on it. "According to the sages’ old texts, Gulgamodh is buried beneath the fountain, and the key should help the bearers access the weapon. Good luck to you." With a dismissive wave of his hand, Amenopheus returns to his work with Tahonikepsu.