The Forgotten God (Table 5)

Game Master Rednal

Unlike Nethys, Astoroth isn't omniscient. He's just persistent. There's always something he didn't plan for, but he's careful to always have an escape route. He became a god through trial-and-error. ;-)

Astoroth gives the room a once-over as he waits to see how his companion responds. He lacked even the most basic knowledge of this situation at the moment, so the best course of action was to follow the Sapphire Sage's lead. At least for now...

Perception: 1d20 + 16 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 16 + (4) = 32 (+2 if there's a trap)
Sense Motive (the woman's intentions): 1d20 + 18 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 18 + (4) = 24

Ugh, lost post. DX Darnit, Paizo!

There didn't seem to be any traps within the chamber - which was no surprise, really. The previous chambers were unquestionably defenses to keep casual visitors out - this was the real inner chamber, and was correspondingly safer. As for Tahonikepsu, she seems largely benevolent, and the Sapphire Sage waved for you to join them in sitting.

"I must say, it's nice to feel like there's finally progress in [u]restoring our order[/u]." he observed. "It's been a very long time since its [u]destruction[/u], and I must confess a bit of uncertainty as to why you've hidden yourself here instead of seeking out the others of our order. Had you contacted me earlier, we could have made quite a lot of progress by now."

"Patience is one of our greatest virtues. I did not feel, back then, that it was time to step forward... That has, of course, changed." the Diamond Sage answered, apparently not offended by the Sapphire Sage's words.

The book wants a fluid discussion that the PCs can interject in. ...Somewhat obviously, that's not very workable in Play-By-Post. XD Instead, I'm underlining topics you can inquire about to help drive the discussion forward.

If you use Firefox, install the Lazarus addon. It's saved me at least once in every game I'm involved in.

Astoroth sits in one of the chairs and listens to the opening pleasantries. At an appropriate moment, he interjects with a question of his own. "Pardon the interruption, but what happened to your order? How was it destroyed, and for what reason?"

"An unfortunate accident." the Sapphire Sage said, grimacing. "The main cause, I think, was the [u]invasion of Osirion[/u] by the Kelish thousands of years ago - they did not like our history or efforts to preserve it. Had it not been for that calamity, the Jeweled Sages would have continued to thrive."

"That's one interpretation." Tahonikepsu interjected, tone just a little sharper. "The way I see it, the invasion and subsequent purge of the Jeweled Sages reflected a critical weakness in our organization. Spread out and without a strong leader, the order could not respond quickly and effectively to a new threat, and so the members of that time were wiped out."

"The order has a greater problem if its members are unable to act independently." Your companion answered, narrowing his gaze slightly. "Independence can be a great source of strength, and it worked well for a very long time indeed."

"But if it's unable to keep working, it's a tradition we can do without." the Diamond Sage answered smoothly. "Without decisive leadership, we will always be disorganized and vulnerable whenever a new threat appears."

"And what was the purpose of the order? To preserve history and seek out new knowledge? That is a worthy goal, indeed."

"Close." Tahonikepsu answered. "With the assassination of the Song Pharaoh in -2999 AR, Osirion declined into a period of self-destructive decadence that marked the end of the nation’s golden age. In the reign of the next pharaoh, a group of scholars came together to try and preserve the history, culture, and innovations of their people. The new pharaoh was... not impressed, and felt they were trying to overthrow him. They were heavily persecuted and went into hiding, at which point they created the Gems as a more permanent repository of knowledge. You have to understand, it was... not a good time for Osirion. It was falling, and they wanted to do anything they could to protect the land they loved." Her mouth twitched into a smile. "And I must say, I appreciate your interest in this matter. It's always a pleasure to speak with those who appreciate knowledge."

"Ignorance is a curse. Knowledge is the wings that fly us to heaven." Astoroth liked this woman. This "Jeweled Sages" organization was a worthy one. "To me, the first thing to ask is, 'Is your organization in a position where it can be rebuilt?' The Ruby and Topaz Sages are deceased, and at least one other gem is in the hands of an unknown entity. How many Sages are there?"

"Five." the Sapphire Sage answered. "And we have four of the gems here with us, do we not? We're in a better position to rebuild than we have been in quite literally thousands of years. The main issue is finding out who should be given the gems. It takes a powerful, learned mind to process the ages of history contained in each gem. I do believe that the next generation should be from among the most well-educated of the world."

"And you believe wrong." Tahonikepsu retorted. "Look, I'll admit that giving them to old scholars would make it easier to recite historical facts, but there's no point to having knowledge if you're not willing to use it. The original sages didn't want to preserve a memory of their home, they wanted to try and maintain it, or even bring it back. They wanted action. The gems should go to active and innovative sages - of any age - who can act as advisers to powerful leaders, read the current events to predict future decisions, and participate in making history rather than simply recording it."

The two sages, despite their differences of opinion, are remaining polite to each other. As they speak, however, their respective ideas and goals are starting to become clear. At the same time, despite the fact that they both belong to the same organization, it's increasingly obvious that they [u]don't know each other's histories[/u] very well.

Astoroth speaks first to the Sapphire Sage. "Education alone is not enough. You can hold all the knowledge in the universe but have no desire to act on it. If your organization is intended to serve as advisors, you need to recruit members with the will to act." He then turns to Tahonikepsu. [b]"At the same time, 'without information, action is useless.' You need to recruit members with the intelligence and training needed to use the gems' knowledge to its fullest potential."

"It seems to me," he continues, "That both of your opinions can be utilized simultaneously. Three of the gems currently have no holders. This means, to fully rebuild the organization, you'll need to recruit at least three new members. These new recruits would need training regarding how to access and use the knowledge stored inside the gems. After all, even the most active and innovative individual cannot achieve his or her full potential without practice and experience. Locate knowledge-loving individuals - regardless of age and education - and then TEACH them until they're among the most well-educated of the world. Although it may take longer to rebuild your organization, this allows you to make sure you've chosen worthy holders who will not abuse the knowledge you've worked so hard to protect and preserve. In addition, making sure everyone has been trained to your specifications gives them a strong foundation so they'll act in unity - while still allowing them to make use of their individual talents."

"If only unity were so easy." the Sapphire Sage said wistfully. "There's no infighting quite as vicious as that at universities." At that, Tahonikepsu raised a hand to cover a small smile... although, oddly, she seemed [u]more amused by the first part than the second[/u].

"I do not doubt that we'll eventually have the jewels in good hands." she said. "To be frank, what concerns me most is the structure of our organization. Will we simply find people, educate them, hand them a gem, and send them on their merry way? Or do we ensure that authority is centralized, that they see themselves as a member of the Jeweled Sages before anything else, and that someone has responsibility for guiding the group when a crisis occurs?"

"Is it possible to create an additional repository for the knowledge? Like an exclusive library of sorts? If members could access and add to the information, they'd be able to act with a great deal of autonomy while still having a place to seek guidance and advice in times of need. It would also make for a good backup in case the gems are lost or destroyed. One member could be responsible for maintaining the archives and would serve as a tiebreaker vote in case of disagreement. This individual, of course, would have to stay out of the political arena so as to serve as a neutral entity. The rest of the organization would be free to conduct affairs as they think best (once they've been properly trained, of course) but would need to report back to the archives regularly.

"'Information is power. With it, you can control anyone.' This is why many fear those who hold vast amounts of it. Ensuring neutrality would help your organization be accepted and should help prevent history from repeating itself."

"Buildings can be lost." the Sapphire Sage said sadly. "Books can be burned, even whole planes can be destroyed. Indeed, I've heard stories of a rogue demiplane that actually consumes others, and is particularly attracted to those containing knowledge. The knowledge in our crystals isn't really the kind of information that can be put into books - it's easy to describe events, but you always lose something when it's written down. It would be an inadequate substitute at best, nothing that can't be found in any of the great libraries as it is. It's a pleasant idea, but I don't think it would work - not in the long term."

A knowledge-consuming demiplane? That merits further investigation.

"Regardless, I believe the Jeweled Sages should be able to act autonomously except in certain circumstances. In the event of a particularly important decision, they should decide as a whole, though. Unless an individual is omniscient, there's always something that will be overlooked, so having multiple people assessing it will ensure the right decision is made. I would suggest a simple majority vote, with one member serving as a tiebreaker. For the most part, though, the members should be trusted to act as they deem best."

Basically, structure-wise, I'm proposing combining both parties' opinions. Free-acting members, with a central authority in times of need. I'm also trying to stress the important of Neutrality and that the Jeweled Sages shouldn't become a group of political activists. They should be a group of neutral advisors that uses the knowledge of history to help keep rulers from making poor decisions.

"And how would we decide who the tiebreaker would be?" the Sapphire Sage inquired. "The one other issue of acting autonomously is that, unfortunately, we wouldn't even have the chance to get to know each other very well." he looked over at Tahonikepsu. "Meaning no offense, of course... but I don't know who you are. I don't know your qualifications, your background, or your experiences. To be perfectly honest, it would be hard for me to trust critical matters entirely to the thoughts of a stranger, and I suspect others would feel the same."

At that, Tahonikepsu paused for a moment, clearly thinking... and stepped back. Her form exploded outwards a moment later, growing huge in the span of a single breath and taking on a shape that would be... hard to mistake for anything else. Most people weren't aware of the more obscure species of dragons, but the telltale signs of her own form were obvious - horns that looked to be of various ages (some old, some new), deep violet scales... all obvious markings of Time Dragons, the guardians of history and time itself. From her size, she looks to be in the Young Adult stage.

"I present my credentials." she said quietly, tail thrashing back and forth. "Now we are strangers no more."

"The tiebreaker vote could rotate among the various members and last for a set period of time. It's a practical method of ensuring everyone is as equal as possible. In regards to your other concern, that's easily solved by selecting members carefully and educating them thoroughly before sending them off on their own. That's how you get to know other people, after all. Regular communication would also be key - hence my earlier idea of a central information repository."

That's when Tahonikepsu turned into a Time Dragon. Breaking off his explanation, Astoroth gave her a respectful nod - slightly deeper than when he'd first met her. As a species that devoted their extremely-lengthy lives to protecting history, Time Dragons were creatures that Astoroth felt a particular liking towards.

The Sapphire Sage clearly hadn't been expecting that - but rallied gamely to the quickly-changing situation. "They are rather impressive, as credentials go." he said - and Tahonikepsu's mouth twitched up in a smile of amusement as she settled down.

"I wouldn't have suggested stronger leadership for the organization if I wasn't in a position to provide it." she said, scales glimmering slightly in the ambient light of the room. "My intent is not simply to lead the Jeweled Sages, but to protect them and ensure the jewels are never lost again, even if I must fly out and deal with matters myself. The rest of the gems will change hands over the ages - mine shall not, and there is value to stability in an organization." her tail flicked to the side again. "But I am not unreasonable. As a majority of the gems are here, I motion for a Conclave of the Sages - let us decide by vote whether the leadership of the organization should rotate or be fixed." All four of the gems in the room pulsed briefly, their light illuminating the room in their respective colors. "Naturally, I vote for a fixed position - and nominate myself for the post." she said with a toothy grin. "Our organization may have been of full equals in the past, each stepping up slightly to lead in their own field of interest... but that lead to their destruction, and part of our purpose is to avoid the mistakes of the past. I offer a pillar of strength and support no other can match."

"Before the power of knowledge, all are equal." the Sapphire Sage responded. "I think a rotating position would ultimately serve us better. All things change eventually, after all." he looked over to you a moment later. "You're not actually a sage, but the ruby has accepted you as a temporary bearer - and you receive a vote in her stead."

Astoroth considered the various perspectives. Both sages proposals had merit, after all. After some thought, though, he arrived at the logical conclusion. "A rotating position helps ensure equality, but a lack of structure will only lead to a repeat of tragedy. At the same time, a single leader with full control over everything leads to the risk of dictatorship. The Diamond Sage's credentials are impressive, indeed, though. My vote goes to her proposal - with one caveat. All important decisions are put to a vote, and her rulings can be overruled by a majority vote. This gives the organization a strong leader but preserves the power of the individual members."

"...Agreed." Tahonikepsu said, her tail flicking around again. "Besides, when I'm acting as tiebreaker, I'd have the majority vote by default - and I don't plan to see any of the gems go to someone whose opinion isn't worth listening to. If three of my colleagues disagree with me and I can't convince them otherwise, I probably should listen to them." the Sapphire Sage shook his head slightly, but seemed more amused than anything else.

"It's just as well." he said. "In the long run, I suspect you'd get the structure you wanted anyway, and one of the things history teaches is that when something is inevitable, it's usually easier to get behind it and support it instead of trying to fight. I came here to help restore the Jeweled Sages, and we've settled on a form for doing so - that's a victory in my book. Done."

The gems pulsed again, and their light faded away. Tahonikepsu reverted back to her normal form a moment later, but gave you a very odd look as she did so. "...You're not just some wandering hired hand, are you." she said - not actually making it a question. "The threads of your time are... strange. I've never seen their like before."

Astoroth gave the sage a faint smile. "You are most perceptive, miss Tahonikepsu. I'd be interested in hearing what you saw at some point. Perhaps when we next meet." Retrieving the ruby and topaz gems, he extends them toward the Sapphire Sage. "Unless you still require my services, I believe we can conclude our business now so the two of you can begin your work."

"Hn. I've just... never seen only part of someone go backwards before." she observed. She blinked a few times, then shook her head. "Well, it doesn't seem destabilizing, so I suppose it's not a problem. You're welcome to come for a visit anytime." the dragon smiled as the Sapphire Sage took the jewels from you and put them on the pedestal in the center of the room, where they settled down into their respective slots and pulsed slightly.

The Sapphire Sage, meanwhile, turned back to you. "I'm afraid I don't have enough spells ready to get you all the way back to town, but I can send you back to your friend if you'd prefer to take the short route." he offered. "You'll find your payment waiting for you back in town - I wanted to be sure that no matter what happened here, you'd receive it."

backwards? how odd.

"Did you happen to see how far back it went?" Upon hearing the Sapphire Sage's offer, Astoroth nods. "That would be ideal, yes. If you require my services again in the future, feel free to contact me."

Tahonikepsu shook her head, and the Sapphire Sage put his hand on your shoulder, then muttered something under his breath. The world vanished into a cerulean void for just a moment, before it snapped back into the cavern where you'd left Kozuri.

It looked... different.

Namely, there were literally hundreds of scorched markings on the floor, drawn in intricate patterns. Kozuri was crouched about fifteen feet away, with the most bored expression you'd ever seen on a mortal face as she used a small flame coming out of one finger to draw on the floor. She twitched as you arrived, but didn't look over.

I've been wondering how this will go.... Out-of-character, I feel absolutely terrible for abandoning her, but there wasn't an easy way to bring her along, and I didn't realize I'd be tracking the thieves for so long. This should be fun. :-(

Astoroth gave the Ifrit a nod in greeting. "I apologize about the delay: time was of the essence. I see you've managed to keep yourself busy, though. Do the symbols mean anything?"

She continued drawing for another ten seconds or so before finally answering. "The sigil of the second Grand Sultan of the City of Brass." she said, pointing to one of them. "The sign of Bentorraz the Wise, a scholar who liked to sneak handwritten books onto wizards' bookshelves and see how long it took them to notice. Ancient Ignan pictographs, used for about two hundred years before they got bored and went back to letters." she looked up at you. "Each of these represents a time, person, place, language, or event I've studied, and I was so bored I started alphabetizing them." she finally looked up and stared at you for a moment, then glanced back down at the ground. "I suppose it's a good thing you weren't eaten or anything, though..."

Because it's something he'd do
Linguistics: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 13 + (1) = 27

Astoroth looked at the intricate drawings, being careful not to step on any of them. The Ifrit's knowledge was quite impressive. "I must admit that the breadth of your knowledge is surprising. Not many people are familiar with those Ignan pictographs, for instance. You're certainly full of surprises." Taking one last look at the symbols, he briefly explained what he'd been doing. "Chasing down the thieves proved more time-consuming than anticipated, but I was able to subdue them and recover two of the jewels. That's when our patron arrived. It seems there was a 'Convocation of Sages.' That hadn't happened since the Jeweled Sage organization was destroyed many years ago. Our patron and a Time Dragon discussed how to rebuild the organization, and they requested my input. Once that was done, I was teleported back here. There's payment waiting for us back in town."

The Ignan symbols seemed to vaguely describe the great glories of their people and how they were going to rule everything and blah blah blah. (No, really - she'd clearly gotten even more bored by that point and had actually written that out rather than continuing.)

"Well, I was born on the Plane of Fire, and Uncle believed in the value of a good education." Kozuri noted. "So... a time dragon, huh?" she pointed to another one of the markings on the floor. "The Eleven Wishes of Osirion. About 6200 years ago, there was a major spike in the wealth of the City of Brass, which is why people remember it. Someone from Osirion - nobody knows who or how - bought eleven wishes from some of the greatest nobles of the city, and had one of them used every fifty-six days. The total price was estimated at something like a quarter the wealth of the entire city at that time, which is a stupidly huge amount of money. Of course, nobody knows what the Wishes were actually used for, because the nobles never said. It might have been forgotten anyway if there hadn't been something else going on, though." she pointed to a much different symbol. "The Great Crash happened in the City of Brass about fifty years before that deal because all of the city's oracles suddenly started yelling about ripples in time near Rovagug's Cage, and that made people really worried. The City was still in the middle of recovering from that when the Eleven Wishes were made, and that much added wealth sort of jump-started the economy again. The City of Brass has always been rather stable overall - they trade with so many places that even major disasters elsewhere are barely noticed - so it was one of the more memorable parts of its history."

She paused for a moment, then added, "I think the lesson of that story is 'Don't mess with time'. It usually doesn't end well."

Question: could Know Secrets be used to get more information about the time ripples and/or Eleven Wishes? If it requires extracting the information from another individual, Astoroth wouldn't do it.

Technically, Know Secrets needs to have a target of 'A Creature'... so you'll generally want to have an idea of who you're actually targeting with it. XD

Astoroth is visibly intrigued by Kozuri's story. "That's quite a fascinating tale. Perhaps you can continue to enlighten me as we return to the city? I will confess that I'm not familiar about the events of which you speak, but their obvious importance behooves me to learn more about them."

Shall we head back to civilization so I can get paid? XD

Kozuri seemed a little more cheerful at the thought of getting to talk about things, and chatted amicably about some of the more interesting (and occasionally scandalous) events of the City of Brass as the two of you made the long trip back towards town. After a rest in a sheltered area - the town was quite a ways off - the journey continued, and it quickly became apparent just how much time you'd originally saved by being teleported by the Sapphire Sage.

Finally, you were able to reach town. Delivered to you was a chest containing 2000 GP, three Books of Puzzles, a blank journal, and a note expressing thanks for your help.

Also, you've leveled up. Congratulations! ^^

A job well done, it seemed. Astoroth smiled at seeing the puzzle books. It had been a long time since he'd truly been stumped by such mundane riddles, but they could still make for a pleasant diversion. He offered one to his companion. "I have several projects to complete before beginning a bit of research. Feel free to do as you'd like in the meantime."

First project: finish my feather step sandals of quick reaction. I have one day of work left on these.
Second project: retrain my two Conjuration talents. This should cost 400gp and eight days in total. New talents would be Destruction: focused blast and Telekinesis: kinetic sense.
Once I know if this plan is approved, I'll put up a buy/sell list and decide what my next crafting project will be. :-)

Yup - you've time to both craft and train. ^^ And speaking of puzzles... *Coughs* The next adventure's kind of a fun intermission, really, before the plot truly kicks into gear. I think you'll enjoy it. XD

Note that as a Small City, Eto has a Base Limit for items of 4000 GP, and a Purchase Limit of 25,000 GP.

When he wasn't training or crafting, Astoroth was in the library. He focused his research on knowledge-consuming demiplanes, the Great Crash, and Razmir.

Sell
bracers of armor +1 (Enduring Armor keeps any special properties I give them from working)
truecolor dye
Total: 800gp

Craft
boots of the cat (added to existing footwear: 750gp +1 day)
amulet of mighty fists +1 + swarmbane clasp (4250gp +3 days due to accelerating the crafting speed)[/ooc]
Total: 5000gp

Taking 10 on the crafting checks, of course.

*Snrk* Yeah, that's a pretty useful supplement, isn't it? XD

As it turned out, the library had very little information on any of those topics. Outside of a vague note on Razmir as having recently passed the Test of the Starstone and taking up residence quite a long ways north with promises of wealth and power to his followers, there wasn't a lot actually available, and nothing at all on events on other planes. Those were probably too location-specific for a normal library to have information on.

Kozuri wasn't seen much while you were out and about, but she seemed to be managing well enough, and came back each night looking tired, but cheerful.

The library here was much too sparse to find anything useful. Clearly, he'd have to conduct his research elsewhere. "Miss Kozuri, are there still great libraries to be found in Absalom, Kaer Maga, or Quantium?"

Or you can roll out the next adventure. ;-)

"Absalom, probably. Couldn't make any bets about the others." she noted. "You're really making a name for yourself with this tomb thing, though. Let's see, it was... ah, this one." she dug out a letter from a stack of things she was holding and flipped it open with one hand. "Knowledgeable Sir," she began in her best imitation of an overly fanciful aristocrat's voice, "It has come to our attention that your intellect is beyond blah blah blah-" she went back to her normal voice, "-uh, basically, they found a weirdly complex tomb full of puzzles and rods, screwed up on their first expedition, and thought you'd have better luck figuring the place out. It might be a good side stop on the way to Sothis, because-" she held up another letter. "-get this, you've also gotten an invitation to attend an auction being held in Sothis. That's just a front, though - I guess this came in from some people that old Sage guy knows, because what they really want is for you to get into contact with someone who visited the tomb of the Four Pharaohs of Ascension and explore the place - they want ten percent of what you find in return for their help, which seems fair enough. Anyway, I was doing some research of my own with the histories here, and it looks like those Pharaohs came into power shortly after the Great Crash I told you about before. I don't know if it's directly related, but if it was a big event around the same time, that tomb might have some kind of record about it that's not in the history books. They kicked off the Second Age of Osirion, too, so it's probably a more interesting temple than most of the old ruins this place has."

Astoroth considered this for a moment. "As it turns out, I've been attempting to research the Great Crash, but the records here are, sadly, lacking. Mindless treasure-hunting has no interest to me, but if there may be a link in these tombs, it's a different story entirely. I trust your judgement: if you feel these are legitimate and worth the time, let's make preparations and be off."

"Well, the first one probably isn't important information-wise." Kozuri noted. "It might have some treasure inside, though, and if you want to have money to actually buy anything of interest at the auction, it's probably worth a stop. Unless it's been horribly ransacked, there's probably several thousand gold coins worth of stuff there, easy. The second one sounds legitimate to me - ten percent is a pretty standard fee - but I think the real value is the kind of prestige an investigation there could bring. If you're after knowledge, having some particularly notable deeds to your name can open new doors. The other places we've been were interesting, but pretty standard as far as ruins go. This place sounds like one of the genuinely notable sites that's yet to be explored properly."

Astoroth nodded. Kozuri had a good head on her shoulders, and he saw no reason to doubt her reasoning. The chance to be the first to explore a notable site would be nice, as well. "Your judgement is sound, Miss Kozuri. Let us be off."

Let me know how much to subtract for travel expenses. Also, who sent the first note? During the trip, Astoroth would naturally try to find out everything he could about both the sender and anything mentioned in the text.

You didn't actually specify which one you wanted to go to. XD The sender of the first note is a moderately prominent archaeological group. They didn't actually ask for a cut, and the text of the message, when read carefully, makes it sound like they're trying to gain your favor while simultaneously testing your skill.

The auction is much more interesting, but if the other tomb can be explored without jeopardizing his arrival in Sothis, Astoroth will take the slight detour.

There's a reason I said it was on the way. XD

Several days to the northeast of Eto was the destination in the letter you'd received - a tomb that had only recently been uncovered by the desert sands.

Between the ever-rolling dunes of sand is a small patch of stone, in the center of which is a ravine, like a crack in the desert floor. Broad, worn stairs lead down into this ravine, at the base of which is an opening, an entrance in the wall of the ravine. The entrance to the Hall itself is a series of columns leading to a simple stone door that stands open. The columns bear numerous carvings praising the accomplishments of Alkhet Utmari, the Merchant Prince, and the number '7' appears with unusual frequency in the carvings, with this Alkhet always in the highest spot. There's no door here - nor any sign of traps, even after thorough examination - just steps that lead straight inside.

Linguistics: 1d20 + 13 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 13 + 1 = 30

After analyzing the carvings to see if there's any hidden meaning behind them, Astoroth scans for magic and descends the steps.

There's no additional meaning besides what you've already found.

Cool silence greets you as you descend the stairs into the ancient tomb. At their base is a spacious chamber with a large sandstone altar at its center. Set into the walls are four smaller altars, surrounded by ancient writing, each one a little different from the last. On the opposite side of the room are a pair of corridors leading off into darkness and a larger hallway, ending in a great stone door. A trio of rods are slotted into the altar in the center of the room.

New map, go~

Astoroth concentrates for a few seconds and fills his mind with everything he remembers about the languages of Golarion, both past and present. (spending a spell point to activate logos for the next 6hrs). This done, he carefully checks for traps and magic auras before approaching the small altars and reading their writings. He then looks at (but does not touch) the rods in the center altar.

quick divine for magic
What's in the room?: 1d20 + 17 + 1d6 ⇒ (13) + 17 + (2) = 32 (+2 vs traps)

Examination reveals that the four altars on the side each have uniquely-shaped bases, which match the scepters in the altar in the middle. It's not hard to connect the scepters with their original altars.

The first scepter is made of one large shard of ebony, studded with tiny rubies, and capped by platinum rings. The narrow end of this scepter is triangular. It resided on the northeast altar, which is made of similar materials. The altar bears the name Osomi in ancient Osiriani along with the following inscription: “For my beloved Osomi, the last love of my long life.”

The next scepter is made of iron, lined with long grooves of silver that converge on a diamond tip. The narrow end of this scepter is perfectly square. It resided on the southeast altar, which is made of similar materials. The altar bears the name Kiranna in ancient Osiriani along with the following inscription: “For Kiranna, my right hand, my fifth, the one who brought order.”

The third scepter is made of copper, with precious pearls spiraling around its surface. The narrow end of this scepter is circular. It resided on the northwest altar, which is made of similar materials. The altar bears the name Shasha in ancient Osiriani along with the following inscription: “For Shasha, my third wife, who taught me to always seek the best in life.”

The last scepter is not present within the room, but by process of elimination resided on the southwest altar, which is made of sandalwood and decorated with a fine ivory inlay. The altar bears the name Elea in ancient Osiriani along with the following inscription: “For Elea, my delicate desert flower. May the fourth rest forever at my side.”

The central altar is made of the same sandstone as the rest of this place. On the top of it are four holes, one square, one circular, one triangular, and one rectangular. A simple inscription here in ancient Osiriani reads, “Everything in its proper place—such is the Wisdom of Alkhet, the Merchant Prince.”

Your examination of the room also reveals that the doors to the chamber ahead are cracked open, enough to see into the next chamber through.

You should definitely be taking notes on this. XD

Most definitely. That's a lot of information. XD

Nodding to himself, Astoroth moved to the cracked-open doors and peered through the gap.

A pair of gigantic stone doors bar your way. Carved into their surface is a pair of figures holding aloft a throne, on which is seated a man of regal bearing. In one hand, he holds a scepter, in the other, a merchant boat. Beneath the carving of the throne, a pair of narrow holes in the door let through a flickering light. Peering through the gap, you can see a line of what looks like narrow coals in the middle. There are also a number of bodies, none living, and another scepter is lying on the far side of the coals. It's not entirely clear how it got there.

Astoroth takes a minute to check the room for magic auras before creating a gentle breeze to blow the scepter on the floor toward him.

What do the two scepters look like? Also, divine for magic followed by telekinesis. If that scepter matches the slot in the central altar, I'll insert it. As long as it appears safe, of course. ;-)

The carved scepter - which is actually carved and not something that can be removed - has a figurehead on top and looks a bit rough. It doesn't match any of the other scepters. Your telekinesis suffices to bring over the scepter in the chamber, which is made of sandalwood and studded with simple garnets. The narrow end is rectangular in shape, and putting it into the central altar causes the doors to that room to swing wide open. Kozuri looked on with interest.

"Somebody was really bored before he died." she observed.