Round 2
Their companions secure, can Sunlight Under Stone and Toral exit safely with the chest?
Sunlight Under Stone
Toral
"Excellent work! Clearly you are all naturally attuned to the glorious element of air. You may keep the contents of the chest as your reward."
After leaving the chamber of air, you follow a sloping tunnel downward into a large chamber that stands out as particularly artificial among the otherwise roughly crafted trenches and caverns of the rest of the
Sandflow Source. The circular chamber is approximately 45 feet in diameter, with a clay-colored floor, rocky walls, and a ceiling that rises to at least 40 feet in height.
Eight statues ring the chamber, each sheathed in an element that clings to the figurines like an aura—constantly burning fire, a swirling cloud of fog, slate-colored stone, or a pocket of water held in place by an invisible force. Triangles etched into the floor connect matching pairs of statues. At the center of the room stands a large wooden desk with several jars on top. Some jars contain nothing more than a bit of dirt or rock, while others are grislier, containing blood or, in one case, a disembodied eye.
Near the table at the center of the room stands an oread woman, though she seems to have undergone some sort of transmutation. Her left arm and they left side of her face appear to be carved from living stone, and in place of her left eye, she possesses a glowing emerald gemstone. She is engrossed in some sort of research, and doesn't appear to have noticed you yet; however, the 3 dogs that sit at her feet perk up as you approach the chamber.
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Menarul glances around the chamber, impressed with the set up and the statues. He takes a quick sketch of the place to get the image better set in his head before moving up behind Calvert.
Menarul shows his empty hands, adding "We only wish to talk and have not want to fight you." He then repeats the phrase in Terran just in case.
The oread looks up at your entrance, and seems willing to speak with you (though it can't help that Iyasset if floating in the air above you and pointedly coughing while drawing an airy finger across their throat).
"Greetings, I am Qiarah. What brings you to this sacred site?"
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Toral steps forward with a smile and tries to assess the man in front of him.
"I usually try to think properly before I speak but in this case we have to be honest! The air elementals believe we are some kind of prophets and I always wanted to be prophet so we are here to test our wisdom and strength versus the challenges that await in these halls. My companions and I are members of the Pathfinder Society and thus are here to explore but at the same time find an element-touched woman with a colorful bird that stole something from us! Do you know what is expected of us here?" Toral explains.
"Ah, but how will I ever find peace if I leave here before my transformation is complete?
You see, my human ancestors were Osirion nobles who helped to build the lost city of Tumen. I started researching them in order to do them honor, but I learned the horrifying truth about them instead: They enslaved hundreds of elementals and forced them to labor for years."
A tortured look contorts the oread's face.
" Don't you see, the only way I can make it up to them is to become an elemental. It's taken weeks, but I'm on my way. I don't need you help, I just need everyone to leave me alone."
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Robyyn edges closer to Menarul, both in thought and location; he appears to be sneaking glances at the elf's notes.
"Becoming an elemental... that's fascinating! I too would love to learn about your process. I could see that being a... possible future for me!" At least, now I can see that being a possibility... I never considered it before! Robyyn looks up at Iyassett, imagining living a life like she does.
Your arguments seem to be swaying Qiarah.
"Perhaps this is a foolish errand. Even if I became an elemental, that does not change the past. It is better to make what amends I can with elementals today, as you have said. Perhaps I should travel to Katapesh or Qadira, where I here many are still in vile bondage."
The oread lays two wands on the lab table and whistles to her dogs.
"As a thank you for helping me crystallize my thinking. Farewell, adventurers."
Qiarah heads peacefully for the exit, as long as you let her pass. You are left to retrieve the wands and explore the room further, if you wish.
Iyasset seems none-to-pleased: "You're just going to let her go? Well...good riddance. You have proven that you are able to handle yourselves very well, and I think you will impress our leader. When you are ready, follow me."
With that, the elemental floats to the exit on the far side of the room.
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Hmmm, she gave up that plan rather quickly. I'll not be so flippant about it, when I explore such an option. To be like Iyassett! Oh, to be like that....
"I can't tell what this one is," Robyyn holds up the first wand, then sets it back down, picking up the other. "But this one is a powerful version of magic missile. Sadly, not a spell I can normally use, and I've never learned how to activate wands or other items like these. Someone else will have to use this, but I'd not leave it behind." He places this wand back down on the table as well.
Robyyn takes a slow walk around the room, spending a bit more time examining the statues before assembling at the base of the stairs where he waits for the others to get ready to follow Iyassett.
Robyyn: It seems that the elemental energy surrounding the statues is tangible. You could gather some of it from any of the statues if you have an appropriate receptacle.
Iyasset frowns at you as they see you considering the statues, but remains silent.
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Menarul gives a small sigh as the oread leaves with out giving him the complete details of what she'd been doing here. He scans over where she'd been standing, looking at both of the wands after they'd been identified. He moves past them with a simple, "Nope, can't use either."
With not much else to go on he pulls out a set of small vials and takes small samples of the tangible matter around the statues, surprised by the fact he can actually touch the air. He wraps the vials in small bits of cloth and puts them away in his pack mentioning some thing about "testing them later..."
Finished with the statues he makes a second sweep to make sure the sorcerer didn't leave anymore evidence behind, such as a notebook or diary that might give more clues to her transformation. After that he moves into the hallway, ready to move one behind Iyasset. "Alright ready to go."
Iyasset looks askance at Menarul when he touches the statues, but does not move to interfere, instead saying:
"Some of your actions make me doubt your sacred mission. Perhaps you prophets are not all I thought you to be...but I will still lead you to Aridiea."
Exiting the chamber of the statues, a steep staircase leads to open air again, where the walls of the trench quickly diminish in height, giving a clear view of the desert beyond the Sandflow Source.
A burst of fire at the edge of the trench flares up into several roughly humanoid shapes, all of which begin advancing toward the site’s entrance. A faint rumble of earth joins the elementals, and then a massive, stout woman made of stone appears.
“The Ainsi continue to cause us trouble,” she says in a slow grumble. “And now, you ally with these flesh-things. Do you really believe them to be the prophets?”
Slowly, her rocky face shifts into a half-smile.
“Prophet or not, the Goanron Triumvirate would have a use for you. Join us, and we will give you rewards that make the offerings of the Ainsi pale in comparison. The Ainsi are flighty and careless. The only certainty with the Ainsi is their tendency toward violence and treachery. Whatever they’ve promised you, they would just as soon throw you off a cliff and steal from your corpse.”
"Elsharon! Poking your nose where it doesn't belong again. The prophets know how I have aided and advised them already. Only the Ainsi truly know the secrets of the desert. You would crack their bones or leave them buried in a cave-in!"
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Iyasset looks askance at Menarul when he touches the statues, but does not move to interfere, instead saying:
"Some of your actions make me doubt your sacred mission. Perhaps you prophets are not all I thought you to be...but I will still lead you to Aridiea."
Menarul clutches his forhead in annoyance, "I TOLD you, we're not prophets!"
As they exit the chamber and get cut off by the other elementals, Menarul hangs back unsure of what to do and really wanting to observe more than potentially stir the pot. He does pull out his notebook again and start taking notes.
As Toral steps forward and starts to negotiate, Menarul gives a smile. Should have expected as much! Before piping up, "He's a good negotiator, the man could make a blind man see the light... and go deaf from having his ears talked off!"
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But Iyasset told us exactly what we needed to get through these challenges, gave us weapons for the elemental thing, and even gave us advice that helped everyone navigate the windy room without a scratch! Why would we take someone else's word over hers? Sunlight Under Stone thinks, but says nothing as they wait to see how the two groups of elementals react to Toral's offer.
To Toral, Elsharon says:
"You have a silver tongue, son of the earth, but it will take more than sweet words to make me forget years of duplicity from the Ainsi." At this, the elemental scowls at Iyasset.
"I'm afraid that you must be delusional if you think you are prophets. My leader has told me all about the Pathfinder Society, and we know of the figure you track through the desert. Help me teach this overgrown wysp a lesson, and we will tell you were she has gone.
"You are right, Calvert!" Iyasset shouts. "All the Goanron do is bully those with new ideas and intimidate us into following their hind-bound ways. Don't let Elsharon's lies stand between you and the information that my leader has about Jamila."
"You are as foolish as the company you keep, adventurers! I won't let you walk into their treacherous arms without a fight!"
With that, Elsharon orders her fiery allies to attack Iyasset.
Combat Initiated
Round 1 - Bold May Act
Robyyn
Menarul
Sunlight Under Stone
Toral
Iyasset
Calver
Red
Orange
Elsharon
Vaylin
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Sunlight Under Stone sighs and shakes their head, then glances over to see if Calvert noticed before turning their full attention to the yelling creature.
"Hey!" they yell back, "that's not very nice!" The ground trembles and several small rocks hang in the air for a few seconds before flying at the stony creature. Sunlight Under Stone finishes climbing the stairs and stands underneath where Iyasset floats, a challenge clearly written on their face.
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Menarul gives a sigh as the other elementals turn on them. And they call Iyasset flaky. Should have known that they wouldn't appreciate us picking sides.
He rushes up the steps, two at a time and pulling out his bow and a small round ball wrapped in layers of paper Holding the bow in one hand, he gives the tag on the ball a quick look and then lights the fuse, lobbing it on top of the earth elemental.
The bomb explodes in a massive shower of irradescent green and blue embers that stream out from the explosion trailing something behind them. this small thread soon starts to expand as it cools, quickly tripling and then tripling again in diameter before hardening like a rock, potintally trapping all of the people under it in and certainly making the area difficult to traverse.
At 2nd level, a bramble brewer gains the tanglefoot bomb discovery, but the entanglement’s duration persists for a number of rounds equal to the bramble brewer’s Intelligence modifier (minimum 1 round). Additionally, when a bramble brewer throws a tanglefoot bomb, it transforms all squares in its splash radius into difficult terrain that persists for as long as the bomb’s entangling effect. Although these bombs deal no damage, for every 1d6 points of damage the bramble brewer’s regular bombs deal, the briar bomb’s splash radius increases by 5 feet.
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Robyyn concentrates, thinking back to all that he's learned of elementals like these in the past.
"As if I'd ever side against air..." Robyyn mutters as he makes his way up the steps.
The sylph approaches slowly, activating the wand that he'd just picked up. Sparkles appear around the elementals, settling down and somehow coating the dancing flames that make up their bodies.
A cloud of golden particles covers everyone and everything in the area, causing creatures to become blinded and visibly outlining invisible things for the duration of the spell. All within the area are covered by the dust, which cannot be removed and continues to sparkle until it fades. Each round at the end of their turn blinded creatures may attempt new saving throws to end the blindness effect.
Any creature covered by the dust takes a –40 penalty on Stealth checks.
You remember that fire elementals are typically immune to fire, that elementals, generally, have immunity to bleed, paralysis, poison, sleep effects, and stunning and are not subject to critical hits or flanking. They do not take additional damage from precision-based attacks, such as sneak attack. While more powerful elementals typically have damage reduction, these do not.
While Elsharon largely ignores the attacks of Toral and Sunlight Under Stone, the elementals are covered in sparkling flecks of mica and surrounded by tangled vegetation. The orange fire elemental is wreathed in vines and seems disoriented.
Iyasset swoops down and takes a swipe at the red fire elemental, shouting, "How dare you stand in my way!"
for
Round 1 (cont.)- Bold May Act
Robyyn
Menarul
Sunlight Under Stone
Toral
Iyasset
Calvert
Red (-9)
Orange (blind, entangled)
Elsharon
Vaylin
Battlefield Conditions
Difficult terrain in green area.
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Calvert casts chill touch and then moves to the closest fire elemental to deliver the spell with his ectoplasmic sword, and misses terribly but holds the charge.
The red fire elemental crackles and hisses as it swings at Calvert.
for and burn. (Reflex DC 11 or catch on fire, taking 1d4 fire damage on your turn.)
The orange element struggles against the vines and its blindness, which it manages to shake off.
Elsharon wades through the thicket of brambles and points at Menarul, shouting, "You think this will stop me? I will crush you!"
vs. DC 12
Round 1-2 - Bold May Act
Robyyn
Menarul (shaken, 2 rounds)
Sunlight Under Stone
Toral
Calvert (-4, Reflex DC 11)
Iyasset
Red (-9)
Orange (entangled)
Elsharon
Vaylin
Battlefield Conditions
Difficult terrain in green area.