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She nods, reciting from the old tales, "Deep in the world, but not of our world came the cities of the Great Old Ones. They seep through from the places that are not places. Built of angles and lines that measure not the same twice, one must abandon reason to navigate them. They are eternally populated, yet always abandoned, for their denizens live between the seconds of our time. Their presence strains the weave of this world, and reality bends to recoil from their presence. Trust not your senses, but be constantly vigilant."
Listening intently at what Taker has to say to Aldondrick's query, Jamaardi gives a slight nod in assent and replies, "No measurements then and we'll have to be on our best guard while we're here; I guess we'll be as ready as we'll ever be."
.
Ok guys time to look around, you head into the sunken City, the shapes around you seem to follow no pattan looking in. Walls at times seem to shimmer, all is still, silent and dead. As you move you see the shapes get smaller the deeper you go.
your on day 7 the city is about 5km across so you can look around the place in a day
"Looks like we're the only ones in here.", Jamaardi remarks although Taker's earlier ominous warning still stays within the back of his mind.
.
.
The place is odd, you look around and find no danger, there is some places where the shapes could have had you falling but Jamaardi gets you past them. Once your in the centre you find an odd structure. A single Monolith with something seeming to come out of it, A black stone form held frozen in place. Facing it unmoving is a large sculpture standing sill and static.
They are about the same size.
As you walk around them an odd thing happens close to the Black stone Monolith. One of the guards moves close, around 50' and his armour starts to glow, alone with a ring he has one.
He looks at you all.
"Magic, may magic has come back he says with a grin"
Nodding to the guardsman, Jamaardi replies, "Now this would be something that the Patriarch and his fellows would like to know about. At least, the magic-less ones that could cast spells before will be overjoyed to hear this development.".
To say nothing of my Elven Superiors; they will want to know of this as well..., the Xeph thinks quietly to himself.
Glancing over to Aldon and Taker, Jamaardi adds in with a telepathic ::It does look like we've found an important clue as to what might have happened to all the magic.::
::Quite important. I do believe we have a portal with some strange guardian. He seems to have his weapon braced against a charge.::
Yes any magic item of spell cast inside the 50' ring about the strange Monolith depicting a Creature coming out of it works fine, the moment you step out the 50' it ends, spells will restart once you step back in up to there normal duration.
The Guards now are excited and soon a messenger is sent back to the city. It will be a round trip of a few days. So your call on what you do next.
1: Go back and report to the temple of the mind.
2: Go back to the city and report.
3: Carry on investigating here.
4: Other? you can think of
:: Indeed, I do believe we have found what we were looking for. I wonder if there are several of these across the world or if this is the only one of its kind... ::
Aldon will inspect the entire scene to ascertain if there is anything here he has read about or heard about before Knowledge Planes
He turns to his companions and speaks aloud, "Should I take a closer look? I can fly over to inspect the area. This may well be a gateway..."
Read Thoughts - Aldon will attempt to utilize his power to Read Thoughts on the Monolith frozen in time. Expend 5 Power Points Augmented to Increase Save DC - Will Save DC 18
You power push gets you past a kind of wall, and then your in, As you read thoughts your fall to your feet, rage hits you unbelievably powerful rage. What ever that thing is it very angry, near mindless, but alive in someway, just so much anger and rage. From the Iron statue nothing, its dead to mind read, just as a rock or water would be. You have to brake away the pain in your head starts. Take Temp Cha loss, you will get 1 point back an hour.
::Quite important. I do believe we have a portal with some strange guardian. He seems to have his weapon braced against a charge.::
:: Indeed, I do believe we have found what we were looking for. I wonder if there are several of these across the world or if this is the only one of its kind... ::
He turns to his companions and speaks aloud, "Should I take a closer look? I can fly over to inspect the area. This may well be a gateway..."
Having seen quite a few Elfgates and traveled through them (always under heavy guard and with large numbers of escort invariably present with each use), Jamaardi is fairly certain that the Monolith looks nothing like those portals but the Xeph is aware enough to know that outward appearances of an object can be deceiving. "Couldn't hurt to check." is what Jamaardi will offhandedly say to Aldon while the Xeph is still experimenting with the now newly functional Ioun stone.
Yes any magic item of spell cast inside the 50' ring about the strange Monolith depicting a Creature coming out of it works fine, the moment you step out the 50' it ends, spells will restart once you step back in up to there normal duration.
Through a bit of trial and error with the Ioun Stone, Jamaardi is able to, through some crude spatial location experimentation, determine that magic seems to be working just fine within the 50 foot range of the Monolith.
Having this silly visualized imagining of all the Patriarch's Advisers suddenly jockeying among themselves to be the first to establish a permanent living quarter around the Monolith once word gets out, the Xeph turns towards Aldon and Taker just in time to see the Elan crumple to the ground- presumably in some sort of pain...
"Aldondrick...?"
The other move around and make camp.
Aldon shakes his head, ;;Whatever that entity is, it is immensely powerful. We may well need to return to make a report...::
He stays silent otherwise looking at the monolith warily.
you note over an hour that the gurd place a dead magic item next to the dead line, it seems to be comming back to magic life. As if the area is getting bigger very very very slowly.
Perception
The other move around and make camp.
Aldon shakes his head, ;;Whatever that entity is, it is immensely powerful. We may well need to return to make a report...::
He stays silent otherwise looking at the monolith warily.
Jamaardi will move to where Aldondrick is at, helping the Elan up if needed. "Are you alright? Noticed that you, uh... lost your footing there."
At the same time, Jamaardi asks telepathically (thanks to Taker's presence) ::"Entity, you say?"::
Looking warily about the area, the Xeph relaxes just a bit as he sees the others start to setup camp. At least we aren't under any attack. He'll give Aldondrick some space once the Elan is standing upright once more on his own.
Noting that Aldon has been eyeing the monolith with some trepidation, Jamaardi looks over at the frozen Iron figure- recalling the chilling remark that Taker had made in reference to it. Armed and braced in the direction of that very same Monolith...
Ultimately, it is the constant whirling of the dull-grey Ioun Stone that catches Jamaardi's attention once more; it had been freely orbiting around his head ever since he bought it back out in this place.
Some of the troops are close to the Iron man, one starts to clime on to its foot, when suddenly a small vent opens in its side and a deafening sounds blasts out like a fog horn.
The sound is deafening and echos around the vast space and city.
Then a voice some's from it laud and clear.
You have no idea what its saying, its like know language you have heard before.
Fortitude Saving Throw
Aldon turns to Jamaadri and Taker, "Have any of you abilities to Comprehend Languages?"
The instant that the loud cacophonous sound emits from the now activated Statue, Jamaardi's Astral Skin swiftly covers his bare open features and extremities, serving to shield the Xeph from the worst of the sound's effects.
Then a voice some's from it laud and clear.
You have no idea what its saying, its like know language you have heard before.
Aldon turns to Jamaadri and Taker, "Have any of you abilities to Comprehend Languages?"
"Unfortunately, no; maybe one of the guards has something like that?". Jamaardi's hand goes to his dorje of Force Screen as he answers Aldon's question.
"It may be a long-shot, but there is something I could try...". Jamaardi reaches to his newly purchased Mind gem and attempts to use the Guidance of the Ancestors power contained within.
.
"I do not know the languages of the outsiders"
a scabby merchant comes with items to be tested in the now active magic field, Jamaardi spots an object that may be of use, he pays the old merchant and smiles, giving it a go.
He uses its power and start to get an understanding off the odd sounds its making.
something about staying away/moveing back from it/self/vehicle.
a scabby merchant comes with items to be tested in the now active magic field, Jamaardi spots an object that may be of use, he pays the old merchant and smiles, giving it a go.
During his testing of the magical field emanating from the Monolith, Jamaardi notices that he's not alone in testing things out; the Xeph spies a nearby scab-covered man doing something very similar but with several items. One of the items catches Jamaardi's eyes. Could it be?. After introducing himself to the scabby merchant and making some small talk about the magic field, Jamaardi gets the opportunity to make a purchase- something that the party hasn't been able to do due to the events unfolding in Eto. After thanking the old merchant, Jamaardi is able to glean some more information about his new purchase, Amazing, an actual item of pure psionic necromantic athanatism and it was right here in Eto all along- no doubt, the undead friendly policy of the city might've had something to do with it., before going back to his investigations on the magic field with his dull-grey Ioun Stone.
Aldon turns to Jamaadri and Taker, "Have any of you abilities to Comprehend Languages?"
"It may be a long-shot, but there is something I could try...". Jamaardi reaches to his newly purchased Mind gem and attempts to use the Guidance of the Ancestors power contained within.
"I do not know the languages of the outsiders"He uses its power and start to get an understanding off the odd sounds its making.
something about staying away/moveing back from it/self/vehicle.
Sifting thru ghostly voices that wax and wane as they echo within and without his hearing, Jamaardi's eyebrows furrow in puzzlement as he makes out what that statue is saying.
Speaking aloud instead of using the telepathic mind-speech, more for the benefit of the other people still around the area of the statue, Jamaardi says, "It's saying something about staying away... no, make that moving back from itself...wait, vehicle? That can't be right- how could something like that be a conveyance?". The Xeph finds himself unconsciously holding the Dorje in his hand just a bit more tighter as he starts to scrutinize at the statue.
Jamaardi while most of the others hold their ears in shock, you look close at the statue and note what seems to be a ladder going up its left leg.
Jamaardi while most of the others hold their ears in shock, you look close at the statue and note what seems to be a ladder going up its left leg.
A ladder? Embedded in it's left leg, no less!
Pointing out the ladder on the left leg of the statue to both Aldondrick and Taker, Jamaardi says aloud to the both of them, "Is that what I think it is... there at the left leg?". The Xeph doesn't elaborate any further, as he thinks to himself, If neither of them see a ladder, could it be my own imaginings or worse, some unexpected side-effect of using that Mind Stone?
Looking at the complex form of the thing you not a number of small indentations that could be seen as a ladder, evenly spaced as if human sized hand and foot holds. looking hard you can just make it out. At the angel your at you can't see where it would lead to in the body of the thing.
Aldon shakes his head from the shock and turns back to Jamaardi, "Do you believe that we should investigate further? Taker, your thoughts?"
The look on Aldon's face is one of doubt, something neither of you have seen from him before.
"I think that is a bad idea. But it must be done." she says with an air of fatalism. "If we can delay the entity's arrival, then perhaps our deaths will not be in vain."
Aldon frowns at Taker's perspective, "Delay to what end, if our Order is not aware of this trouble we will have given something for nothing".
::We should leave these warriors here to fight the good fight, let the Pharaoh and his minions delay them while we regroup and seek reinforcements through the Order...::
Looking at the complex form of the thing you not a number of small indentations that could be seen as a ladder, evenly spaced as if human sized hand and foot holds. looking hard you can just make it out. At the angel your at you can't see where it would lead to in the body of the thing.
This may bear some need for investigation. Still, I should check to see what both of my compatriots think of such an attempt. Warily keeping an eye on the statue (or is it an actual vehicle?), Jamaardi pauses to hear what both Aldondrick and Taker have to say.
Aldon shakes his head from the shock and turns back to Jamaardi, "Do you believe that we should investigate further? Taker, your thoughts?"
The look on Aldon's face is one of doubt, something neither of you have seen from him before.
"I think that is a bad idea. But it must be done." she says with an air of fatalism. "If we can delay the entity's arrival, then perhaps our deaths will not be in vain."Aldon frowns at Taker's perspective, "Delay to what end, if our Order is not aware of this trouble we will have given something for nothing".
::We should leave these warriors here to fight the good fight, let the Pharaoh and his minions delay them while we regroup and seek reinforcements through the Order...::
::"Very well- let us inform the Grand Mind Mage then. Still, perhaps lives need not be lost here in this area. That statue reacted when one of the guardsmen clambered onto it's right leg. If this statue takes no further action, maybe we can still convince the others people here to keep their distance and not disturb this statue... vehicle... any further. "::
Jamaardi, figuring that the investigation can be postponed for now, nods to both Aldon and Taker, then looks over towards the other guardsmen in the area. Hopefully Number 13 is nearby somewhere- he could get the others to stand down if necessary.
Fearing that the guards might try to escalate things with the statue, Jamaardi calls out to the nearby guards, "Try to keep your distance from that Statue! And somebody go find Nooroleic, if he's about!"
The Xeph's hand once again finds itself upon the Mind Stone, as Jamaardi inwardly contemplates if he should try to access it's otherworldly abilities to gain the power of Osirion-speech. I'll do so if it becomes obvious that the guards do not understand what I said.
13 comes over and nods, and makes a polled and roped ring around the thing. Over the next few days more and more are coming from the city, there is a small tent city now. A lot of clerics seem to be treating the sick close to the Monolith, its area of magic grows but at a tiny rate, just 1/16 inch a day but it is growing.
You take out the powerstone you have that will recall you to the Temple of the mind.
::"There's no doubt about it; magic, as we know it, has gradually been returning to the monolith area at a gradually glacial rate. The Grand Mind Mage plus the Patriarch will be glad to hear of this. Providing that nobody tampers with the Statue any further, we might be able to conduct any investigations as soon as we get the permission from all involved."::
The wise there start talking about moving the Monolith to the City.
Aldon shakes his head at the suggestion, "Dangerous, we do not know enough about this Monolith to move it to the heart of your city. Until we learn more it should remain here. Closely guarded ad studied but here".
The mind Council contact you, asking you in dream how things are going.
A desk Clark like man stands in a barron wast land of Gray light
"Report, who is the the situation there"
on day two you spot some kids claiming up the ladder of the iron statue. a guard chases them, off and gos back to his post
:: We have located some sort of Monolith which we believe has come through a portal of some sort. Both the portal and the being are of unknown origin. Magic in the area of this being seems to slowly be functioning again.
The Pharaoh's men have s=begun setting up camp around the perimeter of the being.
The Monolith appears to either be sentient or to be controlled by a powerful sentient power,
We were considering returning to the Temple to discuss how we should proceed and ascertain if anyone else had reported similar sightings...::
The wise there start talking about moving the Monolith to the City.Aldon shakes his head at the suggestion, "Dangerous, we do not know enough about this Monolith to move it to the heart of your city. Until we learn more it should remain here. Closely guarded ad studied but here".
Jamaardi will add, "Plus there is that statue to consider, as well. Would it start to react if the Monolith were to be moved away, I wonder?"
on day two you spot some kids claiming up the ladder of the iron statue. a guard chases them, off and gos back to his post
Jamaardi will observe all of this thinking, Fascinating; I'd better check with that guard about those kids...
The Xeph will call the guard's attention and inquire about those kids climbing that statue.
"Are they the only ones who climbed on that statue or were there others? How long would you say they've been doing this and would you know why they are trying to climb on it?
Has the statue made any reaction to those or other even kids? I know that it did react to a grown man trying to climb on it- made a loud noise, gibbered in an unusual language; the usual sorts of things strange statues get up to when they get touched..."
"Then you have found a site two, we have three other reports of smiler sites, and you statue us intact, each site had a monolith with something emerging from it. Each one looks like its been frozen in the act of doing thing. Is yours moving, we have reports that each monolith en-ter-ty is moving but very slowly, please check you. Also as you have the only intact statue close to it please investigate. I will dream contact again in 3 days. Advice non movement of Monolith."
with that hes gone
The guard points you to a some kids playing off between the tent city that sprong up.
"Only seen em the once, claiming up the thing, three of them, over there see."
You walk over and see the kids are playing with something, it looks like steal metal cylinder with writing on it. Its very well made and painted green with some odd writing on it.
פגז חמש השפעת סוג
Its about a foot long and half a foot wide and must be heavy. They look up at you as you come over. One of them was hitting the top of it with a rock. As if trying to get inside it.
Aldon awakens and addresses his comrades, "It appears that explore further we shall. No time like the present eh?"
Aldon awakens and addresses his comrades, "It appears that explore further we shall. No time like the present eh?"
Nodding to Aldondrick, Jamaardi replies, "Fine by me, how about you, Taker?"
The guard points you to a some kids playing off between the tent city that sprong up."Only seen em the once, claiming up the thing, three of them, over there see."
You walk over and see the kids are playing with something, it looks like steal metal cylinder with writing on it. Its very well made and painted green with some odd writing on it.
פגז חמש השפעת סוג
Its about a foot long and half a foot wide and must be heavy. They look up at you as you come over. One of them was hitting the top of it with a rock. As if trying to get inside it.
Thanking the guard for his continued vigilance, Jamaardi then asks him to go and have someone fetch both Aldondrick and Taker . Approaching the kids, the Xeph greets them as he kneels down so that he could make eye-contact with them, "Greetings young ones, I couldn't help but notice that you three had found something interesting there", motioning towards the cylindrical object. "Do any of you know what it says on it? I must say that I can't quite make out the symbols on it from here."
They back off a bit worried that some one as important as you has noticed them.
One of the kids the biggest says look at the thing.
"Just some marks, master noble sir, just marks, we found it, is it worth something? we could sell it to you."
The others nod seeming happy he has taken the lead.
"The value is in the translation young one, can you translate the language?"
"Err yes mr pay me 50 gold and ill tell ya"
"it says, happy gift from the gods to small kids"
Hes lying he dos not have a clue what it says
Sense Motive
Aldon is about to hand over the gold then senses the deceit from the child.
"How do your parents handle a situation where you lie to them child? I have no children of my own. But when my enemies lie to me, I burn their minds out leaving them husks of their former selves.
I will ask you again, this time you will tell me truly if you can decipher the script or not".