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The short climb before the long descent ensures water from this level doesn’t pour down into Level 6.
***Into Floor 6, The Clockwork Maze***
The Clockwork Maze is lit by small lamps fixed to the walls every 30 feet or so and enchanted with continual flame. The doors are good wooden doors.
The long stairway ends in a small chamber. On the north wall, a panel with two bronze levers—one red and one black—is set chest-high in the wall. To the east, an archway leads to an alcove. Distant ticking echoes through the walls, as if several large clocks were operating simultaneously.
The walls of the alcove are mismatched. Most of the room is finished in masonry blocks, but to the north is a curved wall of bronze. There’s a narrow seam between the bronze wall and the masonry, and the bronze wall seems to be vibrating very faintly.
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As they arrive back at the surface, the paladin will find a quiet place to pray and commune with Apsu. He falls into a meditative trance. In his vision he finds himself on a floating island, surrounded by other celestial floating islands, with large number of stars which travel all ways. The beating of wings is heard as silver dragon approaches. is a dragon of immense size, immense wisdom and power. The dragon lands and the half elf kneels before his god.
The dragon smiles.
Thou hast served me well, Talondreal the dragons speaks in Draconic.
With tears, the half elf says in Draconic, though not looking up at the magnificence of Apsu Apsu, Great Dragon, Waybringer, Maker of All and Exiled Wyrm, Father of Dragons. Your faith in me is beyond my ken. In your name I have struck evil when and where I am needed and offered mercy when I could, new roads and new helps have come to those I have encountered. Oh Holy One, such as been my pleasure, honor and duty.
The dragon looks down and speaks again This I know. Greater evils you will encounter. My power and the power of my children flows through you and is in your blood. Use our might to vanquish the evils that you encounter and that when your days on Golarion are done, you may follow me in my realm. Do you accept my gifts, graces and blessings?
I am your unworthy servant he says not daring to look up. With those words, Apsu unleashes a breath weapon of fire.
At this the half-elf's screams but the celestial fire does not burn as mortal or elemental fire would, but this fire is meant to purify and strengthen, as old fears and weakness are burned away as gold is put through the refiner's fire. As the fire is consumed and the breath stops he rises, a much more golden sheen to his skin that before and his eyes are a brighter gold than before.
Rise Sir Talondreal the Aureate, As you continue in your mission, I will continue to grant my strength. the dragon says as the land scape begins to disappear.
With a start the half elf wakes from his trance, his skin more transformed than before. With a prayer of thanksgiving he rises from his prayers and returns to his group.
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You look around the area, but you don't see anything apart from the things already described.
The long stairway ends in a small chamber. On the north wall, a panel with two bronze levers—one red and one black—is set chest-high in the wall. To the east, an archway leads to an alcove. Distant ticking echoes through the walls, as if several large clocks were operating simultaneously.
The walls of the alcove are mismatched. Most of the room is finished in masonry blocks, but to the north is a curved wall of bronze. There’s a narrow seam between the bronze wall and the masonry, and the bronze wall seems to be vibrating very faintly.
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You hear a loud clanking sound coming to the northeast. Investigating the room, you notice that there is now a bronze-walled hallway that turns to the west where there was previously a solid wall.
Moving down this hallway leads you to a set of double doors, which you check for traps, and finding none, you open the door.
A variety of artwork and keepsakes are displayed on the walls of this chamber: a tapestry depicting a royal court, an oddly melted lump of iron on a pedestal, a fine heavy mace hanging on the wall, and a broken staff lying on another pedestal. There is a door that leads north in this room.
Looking around the room closely, Regnum realizes that the melted lump of iron and the broken staff form contact points for an electricity arc trap. If anyone touches these, they will set off the trap.
Talondreal and Regnum also notice a secret passage on the east wall.
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"Nobody touch nothing. See that staff and lump of metal there? Yah, touch them and get electrocuted. Hold on a moment while I attempt to disarm the trap." Regnum walks up to each one in turn and attempts to not get electrocuted when disarming the trap.
"I think that should do it. By the way, anyone know what some of this stuff is worth? Might be worth taking to the surface "
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As far as you can tell, these items are pretty worthless. On the upside a quarterstaff is already worth 0gp, a broken one can't possibly cost less.
You notice that the tapestry in the room could fetch a decent price to the right buyer. There is also a very nice looking mace hanging on the wall.
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"A very interesting room. Items trapped that are worthless, a secret passage..." Regnum muses, and pauses in thought. "Well, Barm opened up the next door, maybe more exploration will yield more information about what this room is really about, other than a trophy room. Shall we? Regnum moves behind Barm at the entrance to the doorway, weapon held ready.
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Regnum finds that the door is locked, but easily makes quick and easy work of the lock.
Rows of iron bars anchored in the floor and ceiling divide this room into three smaller cells. Two of the cells are empty, but a gaunt, black-haired man in the tattered robes of a mage lies on a simple straw pallet in the southern cell.
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The man awakes to find many adventueres standing near or over him, although he doesn't seem to be to shaken by that fact, "My name is Jharun, and I am a wizard of the Goldenfire Order in Thornkeep. My colleague Tiawask and I came to the Emerald Spire two weeks ago—perhaps three or four weeks by now—to explore the dungeons. Unfortunately, we were defeated by a brass minotaur and dragged before its master, a Numerian wizard named Klarkosh. He accused us of spying on him and threw us in these cells, but Tiawask escaped—she’d managed to conceal a potion of gaseous form in her boot. She promised to go get help, but that was days and days ago, and she hasn’t returned. I don’t know if she even made it all the way out."