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Victory in the Ruby Phoenix Tournament earned the Pathfinder Society a pick of the legendary treasures of the Tian sorceress Hao Jin, and the Decemvirate knew just what item to select: a frayed and dirty tapestry hidden deep in Hao Jin’s vault. This unassuming tapestry acts as a doorway to another dimension in which Hao Jin stored her most massive items, including entire buildings, battlefields, and the ruins of ancient civilizations. The Pathfinder Society is now methodically exploring and cataloging the diverse locales tucked within this extradimensional space.
Deep beneath Absalom’s Grand Lodge, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Spells, Aram Zey, gestures at the tapestry hung on the wall, surrounded by ladders and scaffolds. Scholars and diviners scurry around the tapestry, analyzing its abstract patterns and comparing insights. Zey snaps his finger to quiet the room and speaks rapidly.
“The aasimar nation of Tianjing contains a handful of temples to Korada, Empyreal Lord of forgiveness and foresight. The Pathfinder Society is interested in exploring these holy sites, but the aasimar disciples in Tianjing are reluctant to grant the Pathfinder Society full access to their faith’s secrets. Fortunately, the custodian council of Tianjing gifted one such temple to Hao Jin centuries ago. This temple—the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment—now sits vacant within the museum demiplane of the Hao Jin Tapestry. We need well-trained explorers to survey the isolated and abandoned site.
“We will transport you to the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment within the Hao Jin Tapestry and provide you with a small cache of supplies. We need a complete report on the temple with a focus on four key locations. First, locate the temple’s meditation room, find evidence of any meditative techniques described there, and record any effects of performing those techniques. Second, prepare a comprehensive catalog of all works in the temple library. Third, find the temple gardens and draft a detailed plan of the garden’s layout. Finally, enter the temple’s crypt and take rubbings of the carvings on each sarcophagus.
“You will enter the tapestry within the hour. Any questions?”
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"Hello." Says the dreamy-eyed woman in a languid, breathy voice. She wears brightly colored, (possibly mismatched) and well-worn traveler's garb, with the odd autumn leaf dangling off some of its hems. She makes her way around the room stopping and saying the same to some skipping over others and instead greeting the thin air just to their left or right.
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Aram Zey clears his throat and looks down his long, slightly hooked nose, "For those of you who have not yet learned how to read a copy of the Pathfinder Chronicles - and I hear they're written in such a way that even the most brutish of barbarian can understand - the Hao Jin tapestry was used by the powerful Hao Jin as a sort of museum. The Society scholars have been seeking to understand its features and how they relate to the workings of the demiplane itself. We have no reason to believe that there are any inhabitants of this temple to Koroda besides traps or ancient guardians, although I suppose some scavangers may have found their way in. After all, I believe that is what your mission is, is it not?"
"As for returning, a creature entering the tapestry leaves a planar eddy in its wake. It looks like a ball of light about two feet across. The planar eddy is visible and usable only by that creature as long as it remains alive. Enter your planar eddy to return here.”
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A young man with shaggy hair and a face full of facial hair moves around the room with purpose using his Longspear as a walking stick. His armor is made of hides from many animals and has a musky smell. He looks as if ready to go on a hunt.
After Aram completes his introduction and answers the rest of the groups questions Spencer speaks. "Hello Sir, does the demi-plane have any natural hazards we should be aware off."
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A young man sat off to one side, his posture one of interest. He had dark hair and a ruddy complexion from many, many hours spent outside. He stands a hair under six feet, and his most striking feature is the brand on his forehead that stands out from the darkened skin. WILLFUL MURDER it reads, and though his hair is long, he goes to no pains to hide it.
Will shrugged the bow over his shoulder to a more comfortable position, then said, "Do we have any translators among us? Or will the Society be providing us with the means to translate ancient inscriptions? I only speak two languages: common, and bad common."
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Aram Zey gives a chuckle and says, "That dog is better trained than more field agents. Of course you may bring him along. As for hazards, we haven't been able to fully explore the temple yet. Again, we are sending you in to determine what traps exist. As for weather, Hao Jin created her museum demiplane with an environment identical to Golarion’s. It has air, weather, and gravity just as you’d expect. However, in the centuries since Hao Jin’s disappearance, the weather
patterns within much of the tapestry demiplane have shifted, so we’re uncertain of the precise environment around the Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment."
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The Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment is a wide structure atop a forested hill. The graceful building has no sharp corners; the white marble walls are carved with soft, round edges. The edifice appears well-scrubbed, but despite this obvious care black flecks of mold cover its surface. A gravel path leads into an airy courtyard and up to a pair of large wooden double doors. The doors are carved with an image of four spheres resting inside an open lotus flower.
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Willful Murder opened his eyes to see the Temple of Empyral Enlightenment - and wasn't that a pretentious name? - before him. His bow was off his shoulder and in hand almost immediately. His eyes scanned the surroundings as he moved to the side to make room for the others. The place looked idyllic.
Yeah, that's normally what dead men think right before something bites their heads off.
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Kneeling down to the dog. " Do you hear that Bear, you get to come along on the mission." The dog starts wagging its tell like it understand everything Spencer said.
Spencer gives Bear a pat on the head and nods at Aram Zey. "If we are to record and get rubbings then will need some parchment and ink or charcoal. Do you have some we could take?"
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Spencer grabs a bag of supplies and walks toward the tapestry but stops right before he steps in and looks down at Bear. "Are you ready boy? " The dog sniffs the tapestry the gives give a excited bark and marches in. Spencer hesitates as Faeria states that "I imagined it a jar".... or a prison. Can't turn back now Bear is already in there. He steps thru the tapestry.
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Positively bounding down the path behind the party comes a lithely-built elf, dressed in leathers and positively festooned with daggers.
"Hello everyone! Sorry I'm late. The name's Merisiel, and I will be you trap-finder for this little sortie..."
She looks at the double doors critically, before commenting:
"Before we go inside, let's scout the exterior; I like to know precisely what I am getting myself in for, before I rush in..."
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Spencer opens his eyes slowly after passing thru the tapestry to let his eye adjust to his new brighter surroundings. Once able to focus he gapes at the temple and udders to himself. "I have never ... that is beautiful."
Seeing Bear sniff the side of the building then lift his leg Spencer steps to stop the dog but "Bear!! ... Come!! .... Stop!!" to late, then just shakes his head. ... stubborn old dog ...
Bear comes back to his master just as Spencer draws his sickle, large shield and checks the area for tracks.
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"Oh? Hello, Merisiel...."
Faeria then she seems to focus just past Merisiel's shoulder at the building before them.
"Merisiel. Merisiel? Me-ri-si-el.... No. That's not right. It's too generic. Too common. It sounds made up. It does not suit you at all.... Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone! Now that's more original. Who has a name like Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone? It's a strong name. It has resonance. It almost sounds real. What's the point of giving you a pretend name like Merisiel? I will call you Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone. What do you think Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone?" She turns and finally looks back at Merisiel/Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone. "Giovanni di Pietro di Bernadone.... It rolls off the tongue doesn't it? As easy as dropping a baby down the stairs...."
Faeria returns to staring blankly at the structure.
"Oh? I'm so sorry."
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"Heheh. It means 'I'm so sorry'. That swirl with the three orbs like planets being drawn into a whirlpool is the symbol of Korada, Empyreal Lord of forgiveness and foresight. Though if he is the Empyreal of foresight I don't know why he would ever need forgiveness. Oh? Have we met? I can't imagine that I should ever imagine someone like you.... Whoo is Merisiel? The name sounds familiar.... What's she looking for? The door? A jar? I think it's over there."
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Turning to the group."No signs of anything traveling by foot at all outside the temple. Maybe the place is empty. Or whatever is here is trapped inside."
After the door is inspected for traps Spencer will open it. He peers thru the doorway but is careful not to enter just yet.
"I am mistaken. This room gets much use. Be prepared! We are not alone!" Spencer pulls out his shield and grips his sickle tight in his right hand while keeping his eyes open for threats.
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Inside this room is a massive table crafted from a slab of darkwood. A plainly dressed woman missing two fingers off of her left hand neatly stacks dishes on the table and straightens chairs. She seems to be absorbed in her work and is humming a soft song to herself as she sets the table for a meal.
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Finally noticing the group of adventurers, the woman blinks a few times and stammers, "Same lunch as every day. Korada provides, you see. It's nearly lunch time, if you're hungry. I was just about to ring the bell."
"It's hard to explain where it is. Once you leave the room, there will be two hallways on the left. Take the one that's by the doors leading outside. Then, it'll be the second door on the left," she pauses thoughtfully for a moment. "Miriya will be the best to help you."
With a sudden squeak, she says, "I forgot to introduce myself. How rude! I am Di Duang. Please, partake of lunch with us. It would please me greatly."
Merisiel looks a little askance at the willy-nilly opening of doors, but manages to hold her tongue in check.
"How many people live here at present? We weren't expecting survivors..."
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"Hello Di Duang, I am Spencer Sparrowsong and this here is Bear." Just as the dog slides into the room and begins to sniff around.
"I can not speak for the others in my group but I am not hungry but thank you for the offer. What we really want is just a tour of the temple then we will be on our way."
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The woman smiles and says, "Of course, of course. I'll be happy to show you around, but I must say that it is percisely mealtime. You'll meet all of us soon."
Di Duang bows at the table and speaks a small prayer. The darkwood table fills with food. It groans slightly under the weight of a bounty of nuts, greens, juices, apples, pears and other vegetables. She moves from the table and strikes a large hand bell. Almost immediately, followers of Korada begin streaming in. Four humans, five halfings and a gnome pile into the room, some joking with each other. All of the followers except the gnome seem to be missing at least one of their fingers. One of the halfing immediately takes fours plates and begins piling them until the contents nearly spill on the floor.