Amenopheus takes a short period and prepares a casting of gentle repose for Nitre, and casts it on her, the better for her companions to transport her back to civilization. "I must remain here a while, and research the site. I will speak to you soon though for we cannot delay. I can make my own travel arrangements much faster than otherwise available."
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At the fighter's words, Farzinel's elven ears are piqued. Farzinel follows the druid's question with one of his own. "Yes, do tell. The threats are defeated. Nitre's body is ready for travel. I have recorded much in my journal regarding this place. Our findings have led us to a mystery elsewhere..." enumerates the wizard. "So, just what preparations are there that remain to be undertaken?'
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Iago gestures with his righ, unencumbered, arm. "Nothing here... We... We're done with this gods-forsaken place." He shifts Nitre's body to a more comfortable position as they arrive into the courtyard as he thinks about what he wants to say. "We made it out of here by the skin of our teeth. Nitre didn't make it. And I'm not sure that this next assignment from Amenopheus will be any easier."
Out of the compounds' walls, he approaches his camel and begins to lash Nitre to it's back. "Maybe we all needed more field experience. Maybe only a few of us did. All I'm saying, is that I want to steal treasure from long-dead monarchs who don't care for it anymore, and then drink myself to a late grave as the centerpiece of an all-out orgy, not carry my teammates out to beg a Pharasmin for mercy." He checks the straps to make sure they are tight, elliciting a grunt from the mount, which he ignores to add: " Or bury them. If we continue on, we need to make sure we are ready for this. Look deep down in ourselves. Talk to your favorite god for advice." He looks to Theld and corrects himself: "Or your second favorite god. Or maybe the opposite of your god in every way shape or form. Point is: I don't want to do this again. Not because I love money more than I care for my teammates. But because at some point, my money is going to run out. And as we saw, it looks like our VCs don't care that about us."
He mounts the annoyed camel. "Something to consider." He clicks his tongue, before adding with a glimmer of his old demeanor: "Anyway, we need to get back to Sothis or Eto quick; I want to find out if I'm going to be in a drinking game with Nitre when we return."
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The cleric's features remain stoic at Iago's words.
I care not for the VC's or their petty goals. However, The Champion's words makes sense. The Beast cannot be served from the grave. Perhaps I need to contemplate my place in HIS plan. Would it have been meaningless to have died here this day? HE calls me, beckons me, but to what purpose? Until now, it has about destruction. Moving forward, do I need to evolve in order to honor HIM?
With a nod to Iago, Theld merely says, "Wise."
The growing light of predawn filters in through a window of the two-story building that Amenopheus has rented in Eto, and the aging Garundi man takes a seat on one of the cushions set out for this meeting. He produces a sealed letter from his robe, placing it in the middle of the floor before speaking. “Good morning, Pathfinders. As you know, we have had our share of setbacks recently. Not only have the emerald and topaz gems sacred to my order slipped through our fingers, but we also faced the frustration of finding nothing but fragments of the once great ruby. Thankfully, its power is not lost entirely, and through the Ruby Sage’s blessing, it lives on in you. I am thankful that you have agreed to act on her behalf and see this through to the end."
“As we speak, the scoundrels who seized the two gems cross the Pillars of the Sun to meet their employer, the cryptic Diamond Sage.” He sighs heavily. “What she intends to do with the gems is a mystery, but the sage jewels are too important for me to take risks with. If the power that you wield is representative of a shattered jewel’s potential, imagine what one might accomplish with three undamaged stones! Until we know what her plans are, it is paramount that we get to the jewels first."
“Kafar and Nefti have a rudimentary map of the Pillars of the Sun, and last night I found a bartender who spotted them poring over it between drinks. She recalled little of the map, and she could not make sense of the marks or annotations; however, the right spells have allowed me to probe her mind and determine Kafar and Nefti’s entry point into the mountains. We will follow them from there.” With a somewhat chagrined smile, Amenopheus adds, “It may be that they will lead us to the Sanctum of the Sages, a hidden complex I have long suspected
might be in this area.” He stands and announces, “Prepare yourselves quickly. We shall leave momentarily."
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Nitre looks much the same as she ever had; nothing had changed outwardly except what seems to be a complete refit of her equipment. Her falchion long gone even before she fell, she now seems to have returned to her roots somewhat, as a battleaxe looms over her shoulder. But it's the sturdy, gleaming heavy crossbow that's truly of note.
Seemingly emblematic of what's obviously a change to her demeanor, the crossbow rests uncomfortably in the crook of her arm. Nitre shifts it almost constantly, not finding a comfortable way to hold the heavy weapon. Her light-tongued, cheerful glibness seems gone, replaced at this point by distance, a distance that the crossbow stands as a hard explamation point to.
She speaks little during the briefing, nodding to indicate her understanding but little more. Her eyes seem to dart away every time that contact is made... but they always return. Whether triggered by some inner shame, or just a timidity from what she went through, she seems resolved to stand strong and continue.
"I'm ready..." Nitre whispers, unconvincingly.
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Stormy enters the room, her black cat Shade shadowing her closely. She moves up and stands close to Nitre, almost protectively. The druid looks much the same if somewhat more wise. Her gear is nearly identical but she now wears more formal druid vestments. My gear is packed. I am already ready to depart.
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Iago, nonchalantly playing with a dagger, looks to the others with a raised eyebrow. "Listen, if I have to pay another cleric to Raise Dead your spirits and good humor, this journey is going to be going very poorly." Putting away the dagger, he slaps Nitre's back as he continues: "C'mon, live a little!"
"I am prepared to leave when you are, Pathfinders. When you are, join my hand and we shall be off." The wizened sage extends a hand to be taken by the nearest, or the bravest.
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Nitre tries to suss out some information about this mission, but her natural abilities don't lend towards success in that area, not to mention her personal insecurities at the moment. She stutters and hems and haws as she asks questions, and is barely able to make herself understood, let alone able to learn anything new.
But, she does have some geographical knowledge of her own, and shares what she can about their destination.
15+ The mountains begin 15 miles south of Eto, and an experienced rider might reach them in half a day. Because of its location and elevation, the region is extremely dry and hot during the day, with temperatures dropping drastically at night due to strong winds.
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"The Pillars of the Sun, you say?" Nitre screws up her brow as she continues. "I think I actually know a bit about that area. It's an isolated range about 15 miles south of Eto; an experienced rider could probably reach them in half a day. Super hot and dry during the day, but much colder at night due to the winds."
Some of her perkiness seems to return as she explains, perhaps confidence from having some knowledge to share.
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Iago nods, his smile turning bitter as he begins to think of the trials ahead. "So it blows hot and cold. Great. Indecisive desert. I love it."
A few moments later, the Chel can be found in a roadside Inn as his companions frantically prepare to trek down to the Pillars of the Sun. "And then I asked the Sinspawn:"How ugly do you have to be that they don't even want to sacrifice you to ancient demons?""
A man matching Kafar’s description recently visited a local herbalist and apothecary.
Several caravan guards in the city overheard Kafar and Nefti complaining to one another about the Aspis Consortium.
Nefti tried to sell information about the Aspis Consortium to a foreigner, but the deal fell through.
Your questions having been asked, Amenopheus asks you to join hands and with a mighty WHOOOOOSH, you are teleported a vast distance, almost instantly!
There, just as the sun is peaking over the horizon, you are able to find the path Kafar and Nefti used to enter the mountains. Temperatures continue to rise all through the morning, and after four hours of travel, the group reaches a place where the winding path through the spires splits. The resulting tracks make it appear that Kafar and Nefti split up and traveled in separate directions. Without knowing which of the two agents has the sage jewels or whether they too have been split up, Amenopheus decides that the best choice is to split up. Assuring them that he will remain in contact with them, he sends the group down one path while he traverses the other.
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When the druid arrives she casts she is prepared and casts Endure Elements on herself and uses a pearl of power to recall it so she can cast it again on Iago. If others have pearls or a scroll of the spell I will be glad to cast the spell on them. She can also cast Create Water as needed to cool party members.
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Farzinel casts resistance on each of the party members, including himself, as he explains what he has learned.
"It seems that a rather tipsy Nefti has been playing the flute in various taverns throughout Eto for a number of several weeks, but ceased doing so about three days ago. Word is Nefti tried to sell information about the Aspis Consortium to a foreigner, but the deal fell through." the elf recounts.
"Both Nefti and Kafar were heard complaining to one another about the Consortium. The latter was also apparently known to have visited a local herbalist and apothecary prior to departure." The elf pauses, then surmises, "It would not be unlike 'snakes' to utilize poison."
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As the heat of the sun really begins to make itself felt, Iago looks about and curses under his breath. "Endure Elements is a stupid spell, and my name is Iago and I just like to burn in the sun while I raid tombs."
With an annoyed tsk he looks around before turning around at the sensation of Stormy's hand on his shoulder. "At least I've got some idea as to how to make this trip not take quite as long. Thanks by the way."
The bat and badger are quite fatigued, but the remainder of the group has no trouble with the heat... yet.
Through a crevice in a rock face, you find yourselves descending. Enigmatic hieroglyphs cover just about every surface of this chamber excavated into the mountain. Bas-relief engravings stretch along the walls all the way from the lofty, tapered ceiling down to floor level, their eerie pictography suggesting an unnerving story. Toppled columns, crumbling shreds of cloth, and potsherds scattered throughout the chamber attest to the place’s abandonment and antiquity. Small holes in the vaulted ceiling let in thin beams of sunlight but do little to illuminate the chamber.
As you group yourselves in the cooler subterranean area, you find yourselves ambushed!
Two strange blue lion-like creatures attack and one gets a bite on Iago, who feels tiny creatures squirming in the wound.
A strange sort of skeletal dog moves up, and its gaze shreds the assembled pathfinders!
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Iago steps out of the way of one blue lion-dog-thing only to place himself ideally for the other to come and chomp down on him.
"That hurt, but hopefully this will hurt you more."
The blade cuts deep into the offending creature's flesh.
But as he looks up, the gaze of the creature shreds him to pieces. "Found my next opponent!"
Shade claws a creature, before Iago steps up and strikes down the other. Seeing that Iago cleaved that creature basically in two, Nitre is able to shift her bolt to the other of the lion-like creatures and fells it as well, Iago's strike waving about in the air.
The other creature, a horrible dog-like entity, phases out of position in an odd way, then appears in much the same fashion next to Farzinel, ripping and tearing with fang and claw.
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Nitre jumps when the dog appears next to her and Farzinel; she almost dances away, stepping behind Farzinel to place the fragile elven mage between her and the foe. "Sorry Farzinel," the still-timid dwarf squeaks, only barely audible. She quickly loads her crossbow and fires it at the creature.
The hound takes several vicious strikes from the pathfinders, and uses his abilities to get far, far away from them! Oh how terrified that dog was, and within mere inches of its life!
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Glad for the immediate threat to be over, Farzinel finds his vigor renewed despite the energy he lost in combat. "These hieroglyphs are worthy of study." he says as he retrieves paper and ink, making notes and drawings of what he sees.
The wizard tries to see what he may recognize among the ancient writings.
The glyphs in the walls are extremely old, predating the creation of the Ancient Osiriani language, but the pictography is mostly representative rather than symbolic, which facilitates comprehension. Farzinel is able to decipher the glyphs and learn about the history of the forgotten cult that built this place. The pictograms tell the story of two monsters fallen from the stars in the aftermath of Earthfall. More can be gleaned about these creatures if you have knowledge of dungeons and the creatures that inhabit them.
Farzinel identifies the creatures mentioned in the glyphs as akatas—bizarre two-tailed, lion-sized quadrupeds with tentacled manes encircling their necks. Eager to unravel the mysteries of the great beyond, an ancient cabal of wizards retrieved and hatched the akatas’ cocoons for study, imprisoning the creatures in a cage that has long since fallen to pieces.
The cultists worshipped the outer gods and performed foul rites, summoning and dismissing the vilest types of otherworldly horrors with the intent of contacting an emissary of the Great Old Ones who would finally disclose the deepest secrets of the Dark Tapestry. These encounters are minutely documented in the Temple of the Beyond’s 20-foot-tall walls, which also predict when certain stars might align with the narrow holes in the ceiling above.