The elves look surprised and escort you onward.
This sprawling, high-roofed grotto is a masterpiece of inversion. Exotic trees growing from the ceiling surround a gravity-defying lagoon. The floor is gently concave and painted the indigo color of moonlit skies. A few feet above the floor, lambent spheres evoke stars, while conjured clouds drift by on unfelt winds. A cave mouth fifty feet above joins a ramp, which spirals down the cave’s perimeter, connecting midway to a huge stone door. An enormous, mithral-plated mirror is affixed to the floor’s center.
The hypnotic music of a mithral flute draws the guests toward the central mirror. An imperious elf, clad in the ceremonial armor of a daimyo, greets each family by name: “To the sagacious Mata, the perseverant Ishigo, and my own brethren, the decisive Haraka—welcome to the Festival of the Fortunate Moon. Tonight, the full moon will travel from sky to sky, and those who meet its pallid eye will earn the luck of dragons. Till moonrise, tales of honor shall remind us of our noble ancestry.” Then, as an afterthought, he adds, “And perhaps these bold outlanders have a tale or two to share?”
Zadim nods in respect to the daimyo, then begins recounting some tales from The Birth of Light and Truth, picking some of the grand historical accounts of Sarenrae as well as some of his personal writings from the back pages. "A tale recounted to me by a comrade, concerning her escort of some pilgrims across the desert to a shrine of the Dawnflower, and how she suitibly chastised a gang of bandits with her scimitar, causing their leader to renounce his ways and reform", he begins.
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Xan Tei suddenly speaks in a low, gravelly voice however his words still seem calm. He talks of how his master had first introduced him to the meaning of honor. He then describes how during his Confirmation how the party he was with showed such great courage in facing great dangers while their guide had done all she could to ensure their safety.
He also gives an account of the Siege of the Diamond City as well as describing some of the great deeds that he had witnessed during his travels leading up to this current moment. He never mentions any of the actions he might have taken, electing to account for the actions of others that he had witnessed.
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Sifvery waits in awkward silence, and eventually stands up to speak when no one else does. She tells stories of her battles with sprites to end an unnatural winter, and befriending the gripplies in their time of need despite their many differences. She tells stories of her ancestors and the lessons learned, and how she continues to learn new and valuable lessons every day.
As she finishes, she says "I wish to pay my respects to Haraka Sorin, who died alongside Malash, and was reborn as my Bakten Shengrah."
Intrigued by your stories you are invited to speak with different elders.
Xan and Mal are invited to speak with Lady Ishigo Shiori. This lachrymose lady wears mourning white, including a broad conical hat that conceals her hair. She speaks lovingly, though somewhat vaguely, about her late husband. Need a Sense Motive check from you.
Balzano and Zadim are invited to speak with Daimyo Haraka Kasashige. Polite but indecisive, Kasashige is forever cowed by the weight of his ancestor’s legacy. Need a diplomacy check while you speak with him.
Sifvery is invited to speak with Lord Mata Ryuu. A toothless, rambling elf reeking of sour wine, When you approach he shrieks "Welcome, outsiders!” as if he has forgotten who you are. Need sense motive checks
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Balzanno takes in the full frame of Daimyo Kasahige.
"So, yer an elder or somethin'? What's dis Damn-yo title mean? Dat means yer a pretty big deal, right? Why you lookin' so down? Somethin' happen?"
Balzanno smiles, showing his brilliant white teeth, while something charismatic about the gnome manages to shine through his brusque mannerism.
Shiori asks, "Why does Bakten wants access to Sorin’s skull?"
[ooc]He gets the feeling that Ryuu is under the effects of psychic mind control and has been for some time.
"Greetings, honored Daimyo. I am called Zadim. In the spirit of the festival, what tales do you have to share?"
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Balzanno nods as Kasashige reflects.
"Yea, I hears ya. Back in the Dook'lands where I comes from, dere's a lotta gangs and such, alliances goin' willy nilly and alls."
Stretching his neck, Balzanno thinks about it.
"You know, it's dem old guys who dey all listen ta about gettin' whipped inta' shape."
The gnome leans in, squinting.
"You look like one o' dem guys who could get a lotta respect on da streets, you know? You should give it a try, peoples respect da wisdom!"
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Balzanno tries to straighten himself up, gaining almost three full feet in height as he does so.
"So, uh. Dis place looks nice. Good place to bury a husband. I dunno if you've met Sifvery or the others, but we're, uh, here to pay our respects to dat Sorin fella."
Balzanno flashes his "million dollar smile", which usually seems to be somewhat effective at compensating for his brusque demeanor.
Mata seems to panic and suddenly vanishes! Everyone is taken aback.
Ugh, glad to be done being sociable. Let's leave that to the sorceress.
Zadim scans the party, looking for any suspicious characters or general oddness. He pays particular attention to the remaining nobles after Mata's odd incident
Zadim doesn't see any other magic or odd effects on the others here. Sif begins to speak with Lady Shiori.
Shiori once loved Mata Ryuu, and vowed to kill the woman who stole his heart (she once observed him having a liaison with a female samsaran “with hair like a black shroud”). Upon learning that Bakten was near enlightenment, she sought to make good on her vow by killing the reincarnation of Ryuu’s lover. She agrees to help the PCs gain access to the skull if they promise to keep her secrets.
Zadim shrugs. "Tian is an odd land, so full of deceit.
"Are you the one who sent the assassins that attacked the Sanctuary?"
Yes. But I fear it may have been in error." She says. With your agreement.
All three leaders (or their proxies) vote yes. Kasashige promises positive relations between the elves of Jinin and the Pathfinder Society, and goes on to praise you as “the hands of Malash,” come to reforge the bonds between clans. Unfortunately, this provokes discontent among the younger scions, who are suspicious of meddling outsiders.
Kasashige assures you that he will open his father’s tomb immediately after moonrise. However, the enmity between the clans boils over first. The scions continue hurling abuse, shoving each other away from the mirror, and each family claims that the others are unworthy of their ancestors’ blessings. Finally, one reckless elf jostles Kasashige and he falls, shattering the mirror before it can reflect the moonlight.
Reacting to this disgraceful act, Kasashige declares the clans’ alliance severed. As he leads you to open Sorin’s crypt, he laments that “Bakten would weep to see his greatest deed undone.”
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Balzanno just sort of nods as the "gangs" resume to feuding.
"Yea, dat's da way it was in da 'Dooklans from wheres I used ta' live. Gangs always fightin', but den sometimes gangin' up against some big bad evil 'ting."
Balzanno chuckles at his own half-pun.
"Gangs gangin' up. Get it? Anyways, whadda we gots here? Crypts? Best we stay iced in case there's some dead guys shamblin' round going 'mooo' or 'ohhh' or somethins'..."
After giving Kasashige a nod of thanks, he unstraps his "Earthbrakker".
"Dun worry, we won't break nothin'!"
Then, under his breath he adds, "...intentionally."
This chamber contains the crypts of several dozen deceased elven nobles, including Daimyo Haraka Sorin, whose skull the PCs need to examine using the candle of conveyance. The crypts are dug into the stone walls and covered with inset metal screens, allowing visitors
to view the revered remains.
When you hold the candle next to the skull it flares blue after a few minutes telling you Bakten is done studying the skull. You also find something that looks like a wand.
When you go to leave two upstart scions approach. They seek to reward the party for their fragmenting influence upon the clans. They offer you a +1 mithral nine-ring broadsword, and they promise to remain supporters of the Pathfinder Society after they have “washed away the old blood in Ayajinbo.”
On your way to the damn you pass the village od Dallo. Haunted eyes peer out from the doorways of ramshackle bamboo huts. Dallo’s squalor is apparent, but as its denizens trickle out to gather in the grubby village square, another source of anguish starts to suggest itself in the wounds borne by numerous villagers. Many in the throng wear bandages across their chests, and some are missing hands or feet.
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Balzanno frowns as he spots the villagers in their squallor.
"Uhh, dis place ain't so nice. Wonder which daimyo's oppressin' dem?"
Eyeing the downtrodden, he calls out.
"Hey! You guys!? You need any help? Some evil warlord causin' all dis bad stuff?"
He juts a thumb at his companions.
"We're the Pathfinda Society, a.k.a. we meddle in stuff like dis!"
"The talons of envy, brutish creatures that descend from the mountains at night. They are what has caused this." A women says to you.