You know the location of an abandoned turquoise mine in the Maharev jungle, a key Roidiran passphrase, and some sense of both Roidiran theology and its contradictions. You leave in the next morning for what promises to be a long day’s journey. As you leave the city the next day, you pass a group of silently protesting Roidirans holding signs in Kelish that say Give up now, and Embrace the void. One even holds a grotesque, painted caricature of Sarenrae hanging from gallows.
As they see you passing they say: Your blind eyes wouldn’t understand the irony.
At an oasis a few hours’ hike into the desert, you find an ideal location to rest from the midday sun. Next to the oasis is a patch of dry, cracked ground covered in dead plant matter, the remnants of a second oasis that has mostly disappeared.
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Juno shakes her head at the Roidirans. "Idiots."
Seeing the oasis, Juno smiles. It's only been a few hours, but already her waterskin's empty.
Blasted heat!
Juno stalks over to the oasis' edge and shoves her hands in the water, washing her arms, and splashing some on her face.
Oh! That's better!
Then she fills up her waterskin and drinks it dry, before filling it up again.
"Why do people live in this country?" she asks.
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Looking at the protestors Felix can´t help himself but shake his head.
"I mean this is strange. We do know there are gods. We really do. I mean three of them started as mortals and after passing the test of the star stone, they ascended. And praying to them will grant priests the ability to cast spells. This is strange. Or even worse those hope for Rovagug. Then they border on dangerous. But still our mission is elsewhere. Onward. To glory!"
At the oasis Felix looks around for any dangers or inhabitants.
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Cole walks with the group past the protesters and raises an eyebrow at them, the skepticism all over his face. He says nothing and moves on.
Later at the Oasis he sighs with relief. "Finally! Water!" He then moves to where the trees are and drops his extra gear in the shade where he lays down for a moment and then moves to the water and refills his waterskin and splashes water in his face.
"Well now this isn't so bad. The water is nice and cold. How's everyone doing so far?' He asks as he takes in his surroundings.
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Moria frowns at the protesters, she's too nice to openly agree with Juno's comment but she carried the same sentiment.
Approaching the Oasis:
"Thank the gods!" she quickly drops her pack to the ground and starts to run her shoulders gingerly. "How does anyone move about with all of this weight on them!"
Moria then moves to join Juno in acquiring more water and responds to Cole, causing a breeze to cool herself off, her ponytail swaying in the wind.
"Oh just lovely!" Her voice carries slight, but benign sarcasm. "It's hot outside, and all of this philosophical debate is really going over my head.
The water is rather nice though."
She takes several swigs of water.
Out of the undergrowth around the oasis suddenly a lizard attacks.
The lizard suddenly appears next to Cole, then tries to bite him.
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 14; onset 1 minute;
frequency 1/hour for 6 hours; effect 1d2 Dexterity damage;
cure 1 save.
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Her delightful drink interrupted by the commotion across the oasis, Juno scowls.
"Oi! Quit bleeding in the water!" she growls.
With a sigh she draws her waraxe and begins to stalk around the water's edge, grumbling the whole way.
"Blasted lizard... Blasted Cole... Bleasted heat... Can't even have a proper drink!"
Cole doesn´t manage to escape the savage maw, but luckily for him his companions rush to his aid, killing the hungry beast before it can drag him into the waters of the oasis.
A variety of bones lie scattered around the oasis, the remains of the monitor lizard’s victims. Most of their prey were animals, but there is one set of human bones as well, still wearing a pair of "boots of the enduring march".
You rest a bit at the oasis and then continue your way, eventually reaching a forest and the abandoned mine.
The equipment from the abandoned mine seems to keep a respectful distance from a hollow at the cavern’s end, as though these trappings of civilization are repelled by what lies on the other end.
A majestic statue of Roidira announces the shrine’s entrance, covered in vines. Roidira appears tall and cloaked, with thick curls of hair that are richly detailed in the stone. Her hand is outstretched to the distance as if pointing to some far off but attainable truth. A plaque at the base of the statue states, in both Common and Kelish Certainty and understanding cannot coexist. Two supplicant Roidirans stand on either side of the statue, all but lost to the world.
A massive tree toppled one of the twelve columns of imperial stature that line this shrine. Of greater interest are the relief sculptures carved into upright tablets. Each depicts Roidira leading the masses away from the domes and towers of Qadiran cities to a bright star on the horizon. Each bears an inscription in Kelish and Common, There is no presence; there is absence, and There is no meaning; there is knowledge.
The upper level of the forest shrine is populated with Roidirans both living and dead. Black-clad Roidirans pray mutely before tablets, shrines, and statues. Whispering between them all are phantoms who seem heedless of the humans in their midst.
You senses that the unfettered phantoms are radiating despair, and that a powerful force binds them to the shrine.
The living Roidirans do not look up or acknowledge you so far. They appear deadened to the world, though on a closer look you notice some with tear-stained cheeks.
Just as you begin looking around a bit more, one of the phantoms
challenges you. The phantom was once a human woman. There is nothing, the phantom begins in Common, nothing for you here; nothing for us; nothing for all, before holding up a hand and pointing back the way you came, as if in warning.
You rest a bit at the oasis ...
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Juno scoffs aloud as she reads the plaques on the shrine. When she sees the Roidirans, she shakes her head.
"Damned fools."
At the sight of the phantoms she draws her war axe and brandishes it at the strange creature. "Stay back!" she exclaims.
"How about some useful information, Sinset? Like how do we kill it?"
"Blasted gnomes," she mutters under her breath.
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After restuing and taking his healing potion, Cole is ready to move off with the rest.
A whiles travel later...
At the appearance of the phantom, Cole's hand flashes to draw his rapier but he holds before pulling it out to see what Sinset's comment does to the phantom.
"Hope you're right about this."
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Dusk will respond to the phantom, "We are not present, we are absent."
Then he ignores her and continues to survey the area, looking for any leaders that may be preaching to the Roidirans.
He reminds his companions, "We need to remember the passphrase in case we are asked: ‘Where does brotherhood lie?’ answer, ‘At peace beneath her black wings.’ Let's try and not hurt these fools, but look for what is enraging and burdening them with sorrow."
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"What's burdening them with sorrow?" Juno asks. "It's these damned THINGS! I can feel it!" She lowers her voice, adding quietly, "The gnome said so."
Clearing her throat, Juno slowly circles around the phantom into the mine. Unfortunately, the last bit of her movement takes her right up next to the phantom. She holds her war axe in hand, nervous and more than a little creeped out by the spectre.
There is nothing for you here, the phantom repeats, and if you seek what has made us, then you shall become as us. looking at you with cold empty eyes.
Your movements drew the attention of three other phantoms and as you stride forward, they begin to attack you.
Phantom 2 attacks Cole:
Phantom 1 attacks Moria:
ZARISHA AL-SAKAWI attacks Dusk: