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Etune clears her throat and slowly approaches, attempting to speak in soothing, calming tones, keeping her hands down.
"Hail! Given the mess outside, it's perfectly understandable why you'd want to come in here and try to protect important papers from all the problems. But, as we halflings are sometimes accused of being sneakthieves doing the same sort of thing, maybe perhaps we could talk a bit, first?"
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A dull hum emanates from Skyreach as the ground trembles, trees sway, and glass shatters. A moment later, most of Skyreach’s northwest tower tears free from the keep; however, rather than crash to the ground, a visible aura holds the structure aloft and causes it to float above the Grand Lodge. Even the shower of stone blocks floats, swirling around the airborne tower in a nimbus of speeding debris.
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"Torag's hairy left stone," he says in amazement as he watches the bizarre destruction. "What kinda sorcery's goin' on there?"
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The owl-like men hold their staves defensively, but make no move to attack. Finally one of them, sensing an odd stalemate, begins to speak in halting Common. "You don't attack? Pathfinders are enemy, say the men from this world. We were once of this world, but taken, taken away many moons. We do not seek battle. We seek to find home, find how much time is passed. Leave us be, enemy Pathfinders!" The others make clicking noises with their beaks, seemingly in agreement.
You help the syrinx search for astronomical charts and maps to help them determine the location of their lost home. Your aid is valuable and in time, the syrinx gather their charts and depart, pledging to offer no more battle to the Pathfinders.
Marcos Farabellus makes rounds on the grounds and gathers all Pathfinder teams to him, calling for silence while he relays new information.
“Pathfinders, we have determined the nature of the threat which confronts us! As many of you have already ascertained, a number of Aspis Consortium agents remained trapped in the Hao Jin Tapestry after we captured their back door into it. To our surprise and regret, there remained a means to communicate with the outside world and the serpents have been conspiring. This raid is comprised of two different Consortium groups coordinating in a two-pronged attack. They are aided by creatures from within the tapestry, whom they have deceived about our goals and intentions.”
“At this time, we’re still unsure about what is making Skyreach’s tower hover, but we know for certain that someone has activated the Hao Jin Tapestry. Normally the Master of Spells Aram Zey would be the one to troubleshoot this kind of problem, but he is nowhere to be found. We don’t have time to wait for him, and he may be in danger. I’m sending you in as search parties and giving you temporary clearance to travel into the restricted sections of lower and middle Skyreach. Check on the Sky Key and the archives while you’re there. Zey may have left notes around that could tell us how to shut down the tapestry.
“We must act with the utmost haste. I believe the Consortium’s plan has backfired on them, but there’s no telling how long before they regroup or, worse still, somehow make the situation worse.”
Gathering with the others, you head into Skyreach. Taking Farabellus' words to heart, you head off toward the Tapestry chamber first. The table at the center of this rectangular room is completely contained within a rune-inscribed circle set into the floor. Atop the table lies a Kelishite man’s body, spread-eagled and bloodstained. At the far end of the chamber hangs a ragged tapestry torn down its center. A peaceful wood with trampled undergrowth is visible through the tear, though the tapestry clearly hangs against a solid wall.
Four more of the syrinx, different from the one you saw before, stand near the body. One of them looks up at you. "The fiend Aram Zey is dead! The captor has been slain! Let our freedom begin!"
Round 1:
20 Florin
18 Jester and Syrinx
15 Goldur
13 Ruth
7 Etune
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Surveying the scene, Jester mutters to himself darkly. Well, now. Dead Master of Spells? I believe we've moved past pleasantries, misunderstandings, and "Syrinx Homeward Bound."
Without missing a beat, he draws an arrow, looses it at the Syrinx that spoke, and causes the owl-man to explode back as his shot hits dead center in its wide eye. His cocky grins shows teeth as he shouts out, " will be your eternal captor if you don't. Surrender. Now."
Florin steps up to attack, but her blade catches in the scabbard. Jester, on the other hand causes his gloating owl-priest to explode with gore!
The syrinx priests begin to spin their staves, two stepping up to Florin, while the other one holds up an unholy symbol and begins to whisper a prayer. He completes and points his unholy pentacle at Jester and murmurs, "FLEE!"
The last two murmur unholy prayers and burst with unholy energies!
damage!
damage!
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"What've yeh done?" Goldur thunders as he charges forward beside his transmuter ally, through two waves of unholy energy. "Yeh'll pay fer that, yeh bird brains!"
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When the first enter the building Ruth is in shock with a look of horror on her face. "Aram .... NO!!!" ... how could this be the Master of Spells ... dead ... he was my mentor... they will pay for this...
Then she is blasted with a wave of negative energy. Whincing against the pain.
Ruth quickly draws her sword and charge the creatures. "Die murderers!!!" She screams as she thrust her sword at one of them.
Etune drops due to the waves of unholy energy! Goldur steps up and hacks one of the owl priests in half with a savage blow! Ruth stabs out, but the image of her mentor dead on the table causes her to stumble and her sword merely passes by the surprised priest!
Round 2!
Jester starts to heal the downed halfling, but the Syrinx's command to flee overwhelms him and he runs away!
Florin's sword slips past the owl-man's defenses, spearing it and killing it instantly. It crumples to the ground with a soft thud.
The last owl-man hisses in anger at the deaths of its comrades and holds aloft its unholy symbol, channeling its unholy powers through it!
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"Not good enough," Goldur says to the owl-man through gritted teeth, failing to notice Etune's unconscious body behind him as he doggedly presses his assault. "Come 'ere!" Stubbornly pushing forward, he closes the distance and swings his axe.
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Goldur steps up as the owl-priest lowers his unholy symbol and carves him in half like a side of beef. With a last strangled squawk it falls, dead.
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Etune will walk up to Ruth and try to give her a hug.
"Hey. It's okay to cry. Let it all out. Gramma Snowfoot always said if you keep that kind of thing inside, it burns you out from the inside, like acid. But if you let it go, then you can look at the situation with cold hard logic and do what needs to be done. Never understood what she meant by it until now, though."
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When the thrill of battle fades, Goldur's axe slumps in his hand. His muscles ache with fatigue and the pain of his wounds overtakes him. He takes a moment to rest, accepting Jester's magical healing gratefully. "That was... the Society's... Spellmaster, right?" he says, panting, indicating Zey's body. "Ain't there a... spell fer that... er somethin'?"
Recalling that Aram Zey kept a small library on a lower floor, you decide to head there to retrieve the notes. You race down long spiraling staircases, to find yourself finally in a restricted library!
Twelve bookcases line the walls of this cozy lounge room. Their shelves are crammed with books, scroll tubes, and tablets. Comfortable furnishings are arrayed so that scholars may examine the works without needing to remove them from the room. It may be here that Aram Zey hid his notes about the Hao Jin Tapestry. However, as soon as you enter, you realize you're not alone! Four men in clothing that resembles Pathfinder agents are tossing the library, knocking over shelves and clearly looking for something. As you enter, your eyes meet and...
Round 1:
21 Etune
16 Foes
15 Ruth and Goldur
13 Jester
9 Florin
The ray of frost strikes the couch as the man flinches, covering it in a thin layer of deadly cold. The man to the south, nearest to the center of the room smiles darkly. "Right, boys: Plan B it is!" He draws out a vial of bubbling orange liquid and smashes it to the ground, causing a fire to erupt! Another agent throws a vial, while the remaining two unsling loaded crossbows and fire at Florin and Goldur!
for damage!
for damage!
The other heroes are up!
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Goldur raises his shield too late-- fortunately enough, because the bolt hits squarely where it was to begin with. "Tramplin' on a dead man's grave, eh? Not on me watch!" He charges forward, axe first.
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"How dare you!!" Ruth screams as the invaders lite the library on fire.
Quickly digging into her belt pouch the mage draws out a tiny sack and candle then begins to chant a cryptic phrase over and over. She opens the sack just as she finishes chanting and out flies a magnificent bird of prey with dark feathers save for those on its head, which are pure white.
The eagle soars toward the nearest enemy and attacks.