Hskoro places his scaled palms against the stone door and steadily applies pressure. Mustering all his strength, muscles quivering all along his arms, the nagaji thrusts the door open along with a screeching scrape. On the other side of the door lies a thick column, broken against the floor but still easily weighing two tons. After teetering on the edge for a moment, the edge of the floor gives way and the whole column slides out of the tower and crashes to the grounds several hundred feet below.
This floor is clear except where the walls are crumbled away. The north and west windows feature gargoyles just below them. Both gargoyles have a reservoir built into their backs so oil or other chemicals can be poured and sprayed down on would-be attackers. Numerous arrow slits are built into the walls.
Three additional trapezoidal rooms inhabit the floor, as well as an additional door to the south, which leads to a crumbling staircase that ends in blue sky. Trying the southeastern area, the party finds a room that contains ancient siege supplies stored here when Skyreach was considered a fortress in the traditional sense. Barrels of oil and a decrepit wheelbarrow are here, as well as several crates of serviceable arrows.
In the southwestern corner, old cots and moth-eaten blankets smothered in a thick layer of dust confirm that no one has been posted atop this tower in years. The cots are nevertheless are sturdy and the door is functional.
Finally, the northwestern door leads to set of stairs that ascend higher in the tower...
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Well armed, this place, Hush thinks as he looks around. No wonder Skyreach looks like a fortress-- seems like it used to be one.
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Perhaps because of the herbs that he was smoking in his pipe, Rimble encountered difficulties in reasoning about the puzzle of the doors.
Luckily, he has smart friends enough and they managed to solve the problem without him, that was still a bit distracted.
"Well done, buddies! You made a great job here, gratz!", he greets his comrades.
Mounted on Antoniollus, he agrees with Salouris. "Time goes by fast, fellows. Let's get it!", then they fly over the path forward.
Most everyone is knocked to their feet by the sudden tilting of the tower, and it makes climbing up the stairs MUCH more difficult. Eventually everyone reaches the top.
The top floor of the tower is an open, undivided by interior walls but for the small space partitioning the stairwell. Windows large enough to step through line the exterior walls. Immense magical circles are permanently etched into the floor, their lines and curves inscribed and filled with several types of metallic powder. Faint, multi-colored mist roils within the southern circle. Two strange contraptions stand near the northwest and southwest windows. Each device is a large, red-tinted crystalline lens mounted in a frame so that they may be angled in all directions.
A trio of Aspis forces awaits the Pathfinder crew!
Round I - bold may act!
1. Sidney, Salouris
2. Aspis
3. Hskoro, Rimble, Hush, Daragor
The man gives a yelp of fright and looks frantically around for an exit. Seeing none, he decides to give the kaleidoscopic mist a try for cover and jumps into the cloud. A bloodcurdling scream comes pouring from within and the cloud takes on a significantly redder tinge...
The other two Aspis go white as sheets in their horror, and they beginning shuffling away from the inscribed circle in the southeast.
Sidney hustles up the stairs, elbowing past his companions before taking up a position behind Salouris.
"Stupid necromancers!" is the shout from when he gets cut by the skeleton. He tries to retaliate before stepping to the north by the wall.
The other hops onto one of the crystalline structures and swivels it to face Salouris. A great gout of fire suddenly jets from it and burns off (more than) his eyebrows!
Round II - bold may act!
1. Sidney, Salouris (11/17hp, skel 5/7hp)
2. Aspis (blue @ 6 dmg)
3. Hskoro, Rimble, Hush, Daragor
Salouris and Daragor land a pair of bolts in one Aspis, sending him bleeding into unconsciousness, and Rimble sends his companion to join him with an explosion of color!
Hskoro quickly slays the blue-shirt to the north. Rimble sees a small orb-like device poking out of red-shirt's pocket, and he quickly scoops it up. On closer inspection, it's the Sky Key!
The multi-hued cloud of smoke to the southeast begins to crackle with energy. In Rimble's hand, the Sky Key begins pulsing and physically pulling Rimble and Antoniollus toward the circle.
In a flash, the energy within the circle snaps into being a two creatures of lightning embodied!
Round I - bold may act!
0. EVERYBODY GETS 3 ROUNDS OF ACTIONS before the foes appear
1. Hush
2. Lightning
3. Rimble, Sidney, Hskoro, Daragor, Salouris (hp?)
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Seeing the Aspis fall, Salouris quickly fishes out his wand and pends a charge to let its healing magic wash over him.
Once that is done, he looks at the strange device besides him, trying to figure out how it functions.
Then, noticing the mist within the circle begin to roil and crackle, the elf spends precious seconds concentrating, finally releasing a mental command for his colleagues to rise to meet this challenge.
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So that's the legendary Sky Key, Hush thinks when he sees Rimble pull it out. Such a small shape for such a powerful device.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Well, my friends, we got it!", exclaims Rimble, while shows them the precious Sky Key.
When the strange effect starts to pulling him toward the circle, he tells to the others "Wow! We got a problem here, buddies! It seems like the purple haze there wants the Sky Key too."
So, it's time for some action...
Rimble casts Mage Armor on Antoniollus and dismounts it.
Rimble casts Resistance over him and draws a flask of acid.
Rimble casts Resistance over Antoniollus, and they move around on the battleground separately.
Hush's sword ripples with electricity as it cuts through the creature! It's a pretty light show, at least, as the being crackles with pain. It sends a wild blow flowing past the masked man!
MISS
The other storms over to Salouris!
plus
The poor necromancer's breastplate acts as a lightning rod and the being strikes its blow!
Round I - bold may act!
0. DARAGOR, HSKORO, and SIDNEY each get 3 ROUNDS OF ACTIONS before the foes appear
1. Hush
2. Lightning (yellow @ 8dmg)
3. Rimble, Sidney, Hskoro, Daragor, Salouris (13/17hp, Skel 5/7hp)
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Salouris winces when the storm-thing hits him, but just manages to maintain enough focus to complete his spell. As Hskoro grows, the elf steps back and considers his options while calling out to his skeleton "Get these smoky things, you sack of vertebrae!"
for
The skeletal ally, in turn, slashes at the monster with its sword while swiping at it with a claw.
for
for
Hskoro cuts right through the creature to the north! It crackles with energy and dissipates into the aether!
Salouris hops behind a Skylance and pulls a lever, launching a blast of fire at the other! The searing column scorches the nearby column.
MISS
Sidney steps up and adds his own flame, also striking the column!
MISS
Round I - bold may act!
1. Hush
2. Lightning (yellow @ 8dmg, white)
3. Rimble, Sidney, Hskoro, Daragor, Salouris (13/17hp, Skel 5/7hp)
Daragor moves to get a clear shot and fires at point-blank range! The lightning being dissipates into the air!
HIT
The energies within the circle flash and flare wildly, and the powdered metals that form the edge bubble and explode. Suddenly, everythings stops... then erupts with a great bang and disappears! Left behind is a long, blue flying worm with feathered patches growing out of it at odd intervals--and another of the lightning forms!
Sidney blasts the lightning creature!
HIT
Round I - bold may act!
0. Everybody gets three rounds of actions before initiative
1. Sidney, Hush, Hskoro (23/26hp)
2. Lightning (7 dmg)
3. Rimble, Daragor, Salouris (13/17hp, skel 5/7hp)
4. Worm
Hskoro smashes another elemental and winds up for second swing, targeting the worm! Hush goes the long way and moves to flank, cutting off the protean's head!
The floating tower grows quiet as Pathfinders incapacitate the last of the Aspis Consortium operatives. Down hundreds of feet below, for the first time in living memory, the Grand Lodge’s gates are closed beneath the arch that bears the Glyph of the Open Road. Just outside the gates stands a crowd of hundreds pressed up together to look up and watch the spectacle. Behind them, a force of district guards pushes toward the front, calling for someone to open the gates. From the wall, Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin stares down and barks a firm “No.”
“Not your problem,” notes a deep voice. Marcos Farabellus and a half dozen other Pathfinders approach from the stairs while sheathing their weapons. The Master of Swords gives a reassuring smile and remarks, “Just be thankful for once you’re not in charge down there.” His smile fades as he surveys the damaged tower and picks up the Sky Key in both hands from where it had burst from Rimble's pocket. “It’s clear that the tower isn’t stable, and I don’t think tinkering with the Sky Key up here is going to make it conveniently set back down where it was. It’s past time we get out of here--before whatever magic is keeping us afloat decides to stop working.”
One-by-one, Pathfinders emerge from Arliss Hall, with Marcos Farabellus emerging last. A trio of Pathfinders is waiting for him with a thick chest, and he lightly places the Sky Key within, closes the lid, and motions for the agents to carry the strange Numerian device back to Skyreach, where several dozen armed operatives quickly surround them to ensure no more ill befalls the Society’s prize. The Master of Swords strides toward the pedestal where the towering statue of Durvin Gest once stood but now lies shattered. Within minutes, hundreds of Pathfinders and their venture-captains solemnly gather in a wide circle around the monument, and the blood-spattered Master of Swords addresses alumni of this year’s Grand Convocation.
“We were tested today, my friends,” he confidently states as he hefts a sheathed sword in one hand, “But we were not found wanting!” Following a ragged cheer, his expression sobers. “We also lost people today: good agents and one of the great men who taught them--the Master of Spells Aram Zey. But I tell you we saved something far greater. Not some ancient relics from a bygone era! No! We kept our wits! We kept our courage! We kept our faith in one another, and we stood, shoulder-to-shoulder, UNITED!” Another cheer rises up and after it subsides, the Master of Swords quietly observes, “And the damned snakes in the Aspis Consortium still don’t have an answer for that.” He clambers down the fallen stones and waves, “Tend to your wounds. Get yourself a good meal and some rest. We have a lot of work to do this year. Dismissed!” With that, he walks side-by-side with other venture-captains towards Skyreach.
Unable to achieve more than a handful of minor objectives, the Aspis Consortium and their dupes have turned tail and fled. Renovation of Skyreach’s towers has already begun, and the venture-captains already have sound theories on how to rescue Aram Zey. All signs point to this escapade having completely backfired for the Aspis Consortium thanks to the Pathfinders’ overwhelming victory!