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The guard looks at you for a moment like if he's reading your mind. Then he motions to two of the other guards and says "They will take you to Daimyo Haraka Kasashige."
This sprawling, high-roofed grotto is a masterpiece of inversion. Exotic trees growing from the ceiling surround a gravity-defying lagoon. The floor is gently concave and painted the indigo color of moonlit skies. A few feet above the floor, lambent spheres evoke stars, while conjured clouds drift by on unfelt winds. A cave mouth fifty feet above joins a ramp, which spirals down the cave’s perimeter, connecting midway to a huge stone door. An enormous, mithral-plated mirror is affixed to the floor’s center.
The hypnotic music of a mithral flute draws the guests toward the central mirror. An imperious elf, clad in the ceremonial armor of a daimyo, greets each family by name: "To the sagacious Mata, the perseverant Ishigo, and my own brethren, the decisive Haraka — welcome to the Festival of the Fortunate Moon. Tonight, the full moon will travel from sky to sky, and those who meet its pallid eye will earn the luck of dragons. Till moonrise, tales of honor shall remind us of our noble ancestry."
Then, as an afterthought, he adds, "And perhaps these bold outlanders have a tale or two to share?"
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Chaul nods in agreement to Wyrgan and steps forward to address the nobles.
"We have come from afar, and each of us carry tales of honor."
He waits until he judges it an appropriate time to speak.
"But let me tell you one of a venture into the burning deserts so far from this beautiful cavern.."
"I was but a newly anointed cleric, and recently Confirmed in my standing within the Society. We received a message about an ancient citadel having been uncovered by the shifting sands."
He looks around the group, pausing to let the scene enter their minds
"As we approached, creatures of living flame lept upon us. It was a fearsome battle but they were eventually dispatched - primarily by my companions. Heading deeper into the ruins we came across an ancient bridge that was broken. Upon that we fought a devil of a creature. Fell and strong. Several of my companions were grievously wounded. which was as nothing compared to what we faced next..."
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Chaul continues with his tale.
"We entered into a room and were assaulted by a hidden sorcerer. Barely defeating him, after finding the secret room he was casting his wicked magic from, we proceeded to climb the stairs. We faced many challenges! I shall not speak of them here, but let me say that I spoke strongly against bowing to the will of any devil."
He pauses
"At the top of the ruined tower we came to a room of liquid fire. Lava slowly moved through tunnels in the floor and at the back was a horrible ..." he shudders as if the memory is too bad to bring up.
"There were more fights, which we overcame. At the end I strode forwards and destroyed a nascent portal to the realms of hell itself."
He finishes with adding.
"My own powers are but a small token of the redemption that Sarenrae offers to all. If you will permit me? You may wish to shade your eyes for a moment."
He looks for the nobles approval, before using Sunlight, which with the mirror and all should be a most impressive effect down here.
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In an effort to try to impress the elves, Opal will take an Extract and will Vomit a Swarm of Spiders and while taking a few minutes will direct them to do a sort of cute little dance around.
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Chaul continues his story and the elves seem to be impressed before Opal vomits a swarm of spiders onto the floor. She directs the spiders to do some funny dancing and after the first scare the clap their hands. Chaul's show continues and he lights the mirror with a daylight spell. Also this seems tom impress the elves. The event of the moonrise gets closer, but you have still some time left.
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The pathfinders having bedazzled their guests, a rather surprised Aldebert twirls his mustache appreciatively. "Indeed! Positively brilliant. At least under the circumstances. In any case, while you were awing our hosts with might and magic, I took the opportunity to ask around about the "movers and shapers" if you will"[b] he informs the others before continuing in a more hushed tone. [b]"We have the Daimyo Kasahige, a rather surprised and perhaps moody fellow who seems to be wondering how he can top his ancestor's achievements. The Lady Shiori; you can't miss her, she's wearing what I'm told is not a clown hat but a headdress indicating she is in mourning, along with the rest of her white robes. Seems to be more than meets the eye with that one. And finally a Lord Ryuu, who seems to have lost much to magic. Do not worry about your displays having offended him, I'm not sure he even knows what day it is. Which one shall we go to first? I'm impartial to which, but suggest we hurry."
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Wyrgan strikes up a conversation with Daimyo Haraka Kasashinge first...
"Greetings Lord. Thank you for entertaining us and allowing us to repay the favor by entertaining you. I know it must be hard to be a Lord in charge of people in times like these but rest assured you are doing a very noble job being the example for others to emulate."
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Chaul, having entertained with his story makes time to talk with each of the noble leaders.
To Daimyo he says "I see the weight of expectation bears heavily upon you. Know that the gods give the strongest the heaviest burdens to carry. Know that whatever challenges they set you are there for a reason - perhaps to make you even stronger?"
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To Lady Ishigo he inquires "I see you morn. Yes those who are no longer with us live on in the outer realms. No longer do they thirst or hunger. And those good of heart are spared pain too. We weep because of the loss of that which was. But to have no fond memories.... That is a tradegy still deeper."
To Lord Mata he nods politely. Taking fresh wine from the table the priest pours for him, making polite but small conversation about his history.
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Wyrgan and Chaul start to talk to Daimyo and they find out that throughout his lifetime, he has watched the clan alliance gradually erode, but he feels powerless to stop it. You are able to bolster Kasashige’s confidence.
Chaul also adresses Lady Ishigo and talks to her, but he's not able to find out why she's really mourning. Chaul offers wine to Lord Mata and the lord says "Welcome, outsider!" as if he has forgotten who you are. His claw-like fingernails rasp against Chaul's skin as he clasps his hand in greeting.
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Chaul confides his suspicions to his companions, and then approaches Shiori.
Touching his finger to his nose he offers "In matters of the heart, there is often much that needs to be forgiven lady Shiori."
"Perhaps you would care to unburden your soul, I am a priest and may hear you in confidence."
After hearing out lady Shiori, he approaches the slightly odd lord Mata and engages him in further conversation, trying to find out which topics he has the most unexpected difficulty or resistance to...
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With some more chit-chat and giving away more wine you learn the following useful information:
Shiori once loved Mata Ryuu, and vowed to kill the woman who stole his heart (she once observed him having a liaison with a female samsaran “with hair like a black shroud”). Upon learning that Bakten was near enlightenment, she sought to make good on her vow by killing the reincarnation of Ryuu’s lover.
When Mata Ryuu realizes that you know about his psychic problem he gets nervous and stays out of your way.
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"Ahh, so Bakten has a bit of a past! Who would have thought that of the old lizard!" smiles Chaul to the rest of the group. "I hope she doesn't cause problems later on.."
The priest approaches Haralka. Respectful he asks.
"Thank you for allowing us to participate in your ceremonies. The site is wonderful and the stories told moving. " he pauses, judging his timing as well as he can.
"Would you now allow us to pay respects to the departed?"
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Daimyo Kasashige talks to the other clan leaders and when she returns she nods. "I asked the other leaders for their permission, they agree."
She takes you to a ramp which leads down. Midway down the ramp a flight of steps leads up to a stone door. The door is guarded by four guards, but Kasashige says a few words in elven and they step aside and Kasashige opens the door. "I'll await you in the ceremony hall when the moonrise starts latest." and she returns to the other elven nobles.
It's ok, they may enter.
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The crypt hall contains three parts. One part for each elven clan. The Haraka shrine area is lit with continual flame torches. The individual crypts are dug into the stone walls and covered with inset metal screens, allowing visitors to view the revered remains. However, seismic shifting has caused the skull of Haraka to roll out of sight.
You detect a magic ley line running through the crypt.
Tapping into the lay-line might strengthen your magic senses.
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Chaul does a sweep of the room with his divinely enhanced senses.
"There is some magic here, but I can't tell much more about it. Let us quickly set up the candle."
He pauses looking in.
"I can't see our friends skull... While I am hesitant to disturb the dead, restoring his head to its rightful place would seem to be respectful."
He reverently approaches the crypt and restores the skull to its proper place - after checking there is nobody watching to be offended.
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"I have some good old fashioned Taldane magic right here!" screeches Aldebert jovially, unslinging Mathilda off of his back and loading a bolt seemingly made of star metal. "I wish I had a name for these, but they are recent. And unbreakable as well! The commoner in me of course has a thousand phallic names for these, but that would be bringing myself down to a very low level indeed. Is this the sort of magic you were thinking of?"
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Opal tinkers a bit with the grill and removing it without brute force is now possible. You gently remove the cover from the bones and somewhere in the corner of the box you find the skull.
Opal knows exactly where the magic comes from. "There's a magic ley line running through this crypt. Tapping into it might strengthen our magic senses." she explains.