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Badru looks....a bit unamused as Etu pulls forward a gem of such obviously good quality that he could in fact use it. I see...well then I suppose...I suppose I could drain this gem of its magic and use it to create a sage jewel in its place. He was clearly hoping you could rid him of Saruna.
You do realize that if my master yet lives, you WILL have to kill Saruna or see The Amethyst Sage killed, right? You are merely delaying the inevitable
He allows this to tempt you one last time, but when you do not bite he begins the process of transforming the gem into a sage jewel, imbuing it with the proper magical setting All it needs now is the souls of several millenia of scholars....but for now I suppose it will do to fool those guardians.
He hands the gem back to Etu, since it was his jewel.
Do let me know what you discover
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"I don't believe that anything is as black and white as that, Badru, but I thank you for your assistance," Etu says with a smile, accepting her gem back with a small bow.
Once she straightens herself out twice, once from the bow and once from Kramac's slap on the back, she turns to the group. "Let us continue, then. I'm interested to see if this Amethyst Sage has been down here for all these years and is willing to talk to us."
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"Some thoughts run through my head at your words Badru. One, you have very little faith in your master's ability to defend themself. If your master is anything like the Diamond Sage, then Saruna has no hope of defeating your master. Two, it seems to me that if Saruna goes after your master it an issue between the two of them, an abuser and their victim, perhaps I could even convince Saruna to make it a proper challenge a ritual of combat to determine who actions were just. A trdition of justice respected in many parts of the world. Lastly, if ordered to defend your master by my superiors at least I can salve my conscience with the knowledge that if she forces me to kill her I gave her every chance to change her course to one of justice instead of vengeance. Until she crosses that line she can still be saved from herself." With that Montgomery turns from Badru with the air of one who has explained things to a subordinate and needs explain himself no further.
Later, after the team leaves Badru and is discussing going back upstairs, "My apologies for the rant. I do not like that thing. There is something wrong with it and its slavish obsession to its master. Anyway, we were directed to catalog it all, so we either need to do it now or we should do it on the way out.
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You proceed to the guardians who were previously so uninviting who once more light up as bright as the daylight sun - but then as it registers the presence of the black onyx gem it stops and the statues recede.
As you move forward to the closed portal to a demiplane, it at first resists Etu's gems attempt to gain access.
But after a moment, the portal opens and you are pushed through to an otherworldly library.
Up in the sky you hear, hurtling toward you, there is a large.....bank vault? Vaulting towards the pulsing crystalline beacon.
You estimate that the Vault is going to crash into the beacon in 2 minutes unless something is done to stop it.
In the room there are two groups who seemed to have been having an argument. The large dark one appears to have just conceded defeat in said argument. Fine....I agree you have jurisdiction
while the two that resemble large gold and silver winged centaurs present writs to you - AGENTS OF THE AMETHYST SAGE, YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR ACCESSORY TO CRIMES AGAINST THE CROWN OF THE SATRAPY OF QADIRA EXECUTED BY THE AMETHYST SAGE!
What do you do?
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Montgomery glances towards the plummeting object does some split-second mental calculations and looks to the others, "We'v got about 2 minutes till that..." at which point he is interrupted by the winged centaurs.
A flash of anger passes over Montgomery's face before he screws on a flat emotionless expression and turns back to the creatures, "I'm sorry but there seems to be some problems with your claim. The Satrapy of Qadira, while a worthwhile and worthy place indeed, holds no jurisdiction in this place and has not for over a century. Number two, we are none of us agents of the Amethyst Sage, you accusation there is baseless and spurious. You make a grand assumption in doing so, as no true agent of Law should and show great dereliction of your duty as a result. Now, in a very short period of time," Montgomery looks meaningfully towards the plummeting object, "we are all going to be struck a very devastating blow, one that will likely stop all of our abilities to function in our duties. Let us try to deal with that and once done we can discuss like rational beings in what way we can help you execute your lawful duties, should your jurisdiction in this still be valid."
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Branson seems to think there is some kind of connection between the Beacon and the rapidly plummetting vault.
Meanwhile, the Inevitables begin to drone on about their validity of their warrant. You currently stand just outside of Sothis, which is by law and by right a city residing within the Satrapy of Qadira. The Current Satrap, Xerbystes I, forever may he reign. We are here in enforcement of his legitimate warrant for the Amethyst Sage. If you are not agents of the Amethyst Sage, then do please explain what you are doing here in this, his inner sanctum, which we know from experience can only be opened by a Jeweled Sage. As is common knowledge, the Order of the Jeweled Sages has been outlawed in Qadira and its members arrested for being a dangerous potentially rebellious group. If you have some measure of proof that your entrance into this chamber is not, in fact, an admission of guilt, I would like very much if you could present it now.
As for the Vault, it has no bearing on our mission. We will almost assuredly survive and only the vile knowledge of this order of pretenders who try to undermine the great Satrapy of Qadira shall perish.
It appears to you that these inevitables are willing, nay eager, to debate the minute details of the law here Montgomery.
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When the Inevitables do not relent after Montgomery's initial argument, Kramac will begin to walk out of the room, to the side. Once he is out of their immediate sight, he will cast expeditious retreat on Jino, and begin moving towards the beacon. If the Inevitables seem to take offense to him leaving, I will adjust my actions. I've placed markers on the map where I'll be after the first move action (ie, my position when I cast) and another one where I'll be after my second move action. Before going, Kramac will whisper to Branson and Etu.
Lets go check the beacon and see if we can stop this collision while Montgomery keeps the guardians busy
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Seeing his companions moving on the problem, Montgomery continues to keep the Inevitables occupied. Looking to the Inevitable Montgomery chuckles, "First off, you're information is more than a few generations out of date honorable one. When is the last time you checked in with your headquarters. Xerbystes the first is dead thousands of years now, his distant descendant Xerbystes the second is now the legal satrap of Qadira. Number two, in 4609 AR the Osirions overthrew the Qadirans and established their own rightful ruler in the Pharaoh Khemet I whose grandson the Ruby Prince, Pharaoh Khemet III is the current lawful ruler of Osirion. His right to rule is acknowledged by all the lawful leadership of the Inner Sea. As to your request, while your jurisdiction here is as dead as the satrap Xerbystes the first of his name, I find it reasonable and am willing to comply. We are members of the pathfinder society tasked with exploring this historical site. We forged a counterfeit sage jewel, or more precisely had one forged for us, to get us past the defenses and to gain access to this archive."
Montgomery pauses for breath before continuing, "All that said, if you can show us some reason why your claim on the Amethyst Sage is in fact still valid I, and perhaps some of my companions, may be willing to render aid in its apprehension once our business here is complete."
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The Inevitables do seem to eye the members of the party who are trying to sneak past them...but Montgomeries argument does seem to be somewhat capturing their attention.
They begin by trying to explain how 'not that much time' has passed in here, perhaps the result of some sort of temporal distortion, but this is causing any argument that over a millenia has passed to strike them with intense doubt and skepticism.
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Seeing the Inevitables' wary gaze following him, Kramac will change course. He will attempt a hurried diplomacy check. As he talks, he will unstrap his sword belt and drop it to the ground, attempting to show he has no desire to fight. Meanwhile, he will guide Jino towards the guardians, and attempt to move past them.
We will be happy to properly resolve the legality of this matter once we have stopped the destruction of this place. Please allow us see to the beacon and the vault immediately.
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Etu stopped with the plan as she heard Montgomery speak of the jewel. She instead walked to his side and heldit up. "As you can see, the jewel here is not one of the sage jewels but instead a mere knock off. A rather expensive replica, if you will. We've gone through a lot of trouble getting into this place, and we'd rather it not get destroyed. Montgomery loves this sort of thing, I'm sure he'll have a clearer head for law and arguments when he's not worried about our mission going wrong."
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Another bunch of fools loving to hear themselves talk about uninteresting and void things. The law and people that bear with it are really... fascinating matter of studies.
Dioneo sighs and he gathers his thoughts to best face the situation. Not wanting to waste more time, he just adds a few more arguments.
"Yes. Look closer at the jewel, I'm sure you've got a keener eye than me. And even I could tell the counterfeit." he declares.
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The creatures appear to be a type of inevitable called a Zelekhut. Zelekhuts offer their services to particularly lawful aligned rulers and pledge their services in the completion of a task. That task in this instance seems to have been the annihilation of the order of jeweled sages.
They are powerful creatures who regenerate unless damage by Chaotically aligned weapons or spells and have spell resistance.
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Branson is able to use the distraction from Montomgery and other's impassioned yet reasonable appeal to legal jurisprudence to make his way to the beacon without them noticing or getting too nonplussed.
He gets to the beacon and is left with two possibilities - he can try to ply his knowledge of Devices, magical or otherwise, to try and shut this beacon - a pulsing and spinning white-glowing amethyst off - or he can destroy it though he isn't certain what that would do.
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While the Inevitables catch Etu and one of them now keeps a close eye on him, you sense that they aren't quite ready to break off negotiations with Montgomery yet yet.
Dioneo however makes his way over to Branson who is unable to make heads or tails of this beacon.
Dioneo has the opportunity to try something himself though!
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Eladrian finally catches up to the group and pops through the portal. He looks a bit green around the gills and clutches his stomach as he moves, muttering about never eating local food again and cursing street vendors very colorfully and in several languages. He lurches forwards and tries to take stock of the situation, catching the tail of the legal argument. With little patience for such things, he does his best to sneak around the edge of the conversation and meet up with Kramac as he pulls around the edge of the room.
[ooc]I have moved my token 30' south on the map. I am not sure what the turn order is or how far we are allowed to go at the moment, but Eladrian is moving for the beacon.
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While Dioneo makes solid progress, the sneaky Eladrian makes very quick work of the Beacon causing it loudly and suddenly shut off. The Vault is no longer threatening to crash but he thinks he may be able to get it to land and examine it without too much issue.
The Inevitables turn on the two of them - What manner of nonsense is this are you still trying to resist arrest?
However, Montgomery is able to grab their attention back as are the impassioned please reflected by the earlier rolls by Etu and Kramac.
It takes a lot of convincing and far nore proof than he considers to be reasonable but he is ULTIMATELY able to get the inevitables to back down. At which point the three ask if Etu will let them out of here.
The third inevitable quietly notes that Wherever he is, he is still trying to cheat death. I will find him and end his unholy experiment in Lichdom.
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Dioneo blinks several times.
"Pardon me, my dear inevitable. Did you just say that the amethyst sage attempted to become a lich? Do you have proof of this?" he says, curious and sickened at the same time.
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The darker, more elephantine looking inevitable nods.
Not just attempted. Succeeded. Tore out the heart of one of his servants to serve as the material component, a Sphinx named Saruna. He has no regard for the natural cycle of life. He has countermanded the laws of nature. All things must die eventually. The Amethyst Sage has broken that law and for that he must pay.