Mo to go
You all begin your adventure among the crew of the Grinning Pixie, the floating lodge belonging to Venture Captain Calisro Benarry.
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A cheerful halfling enters the room and greets the others. "Greetings and salutations! What grand adventures shall we have today?" From outward appearances, he is clearly a priest of Desna (goddess of luck and travel), except that he wears only padded armor. Also, he has an excessive number of wands sticking out of his backpack.
As he bops around the room, he is unaffected by any shifting of the floating lodge upon the water. He makes the rounds, excitedly shacking each pathfinder's hand and introducing himself. "Hi, I'm Celewen. Glad to meet you!"
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The tall goateed man wears robes that seem very old fashioned. He wears what looks to be a finely made longsword at his waist.
"Greetings, Dragall, Celewen. Fortune favor you, Desnan. I am Aroden. A man trying to follow the example set by the Last Azlanti."
Technically true, he thinks, but of more than that I cannot be sure.
He watches for a bit as objects seem to move by themselves around the half-orc. Interesting.
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"Hoo hoo! Hello everyone. I am Kaepora, and I am here in the name of Pharasma! My, we have a long journey to go on! Perhaps we could use some more refreshments or snacks to get us through this trip."
His shadow seems to stand up of its own free will and glance over everyone in the room.
"Oh, do not mind that. My shadow is imbued with power and will help us in fights."
The dark brown feathered Tengu tilts his head sideways.
"Would you like me to repeat what I just said?"
After no one responds to his question, he resumes speaking.
"Aroden, very nice to meet you. I can sense a great destiny is awaiting you. Dragall, very good to meet you as well. Celewen of Desna, a splendid treat to meet you as well! Hoo hoo!"
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"Friend Tengu, I hope a great destiny awaits me, but I do not believe any can tell the future anymore.
You may know that many followers of Aroden resent Pharasma, former goddess of prophecy, for the prophecy of his return failing (if indeed it has failed rather than being fulfilled in an unexpected way). I do not think there was any malice on Pharasma's part. In fact, one theory I have heard was that the god Aroden deliberately sacrificed himself to break the power of prophecy, in order to avoid some greater doom that was foretold."
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"Hoo hoo! Friend Aroden, you are correct. Many resent the Goddess for many reasons, some I can understand and others I choose not to." He ruffles a bit, before his feathers flow back down.
"But our paths have crossed, and a journey to a far off destination awaits us! Who knows what we will find, and who knows if what we find will send us to a new destination! Hoo hoo!"
"I feel as though you have much potential buried deep inside you, and who knows when it will flourish?! Perhaps after today, perhaps tomorrow, perhaps in another 30 to 40 years? Never cease in the path you have before you!" He makes a clicking noise and shakes his head while extending his neck forward, then promptly brings it back to a relaxed position.
"Would you like me to repeat what I just said?"
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The usually joyful halfling waxes somber for a moment with a sigh, "Why must people always blame the messenger? Do they not realize that he or she has just completed what was most likely a long journey at great personal cost in order to deliver that message? And even if the journey was a pleasant one, that is no reason to stab me, or throttle me, or try to burn me alive!" He looks up in surprise at his own little tirade. [b]"That's not what happened there... Obviously... But so often it is... Just saying... Ya know..." He trails off, trying to separate himself from the sudden tension by looking out the window.
"Repeat? What? No, I'm good." He says this absentmindedly over his shoulder while still staring out the window.
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Ai hurries to join the group, long red hair streaming behind her. She pauses for a moment to catch her breath, hands on her knees, then looks up, face flushed. "Am I late? No? Okay, good." She sucks in a deep breath. "Does...does anyone have a few moments to hear the wisdom of the great Picoperi, wisest and most beloved of all the gods? No? You're sure?"
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Next to arrive is a young diminutive gnome woman with a short shock of bright orange hair, bright peach skin, and pale green eyes. She practically buzzes with energy. "Hi! Sorry I'm late!" She exclaims breathlessly. "Pai Shecks here, checking in. Oops! Looks like I missed introductions. Does anyone want to repeat themselves?"
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"Hoo hoo! Hello everyone. I am Kaepora, and I am here in the name of Pharasma! My, we have a long journey to go on! Perhaps we could use some more refreshments or snacks to get us through this trip."
His shadow seems to stand up of its own free will and glance over everyone in the room.
"Oh, do not mind that. My shadow is imbued with power and will help us in fights."
The dark brown feathered Tengu tilts his head sideways.
"Would you like me to repeat what I just said?"
As the Grinning Pixie lurches and sways in the storm, Venture Captain Calisro Benarry of the Arcadian Mariner’s Lodge grins widely as she slides a clay jug of strong Sargavan rum across her table. Though broad-shouldered and half a head taller than most humans, the intimidating half-orc speaks with an almost childlike excitement in her husky voice. “My apologies for all the secrecy,” she says. “I had to make sure some pirate rascal didn’t catch wind of our mission. Now that Drenchport’s a week behind us and we’re hugging the Eye of Abendego, it’s time to give you lubbers the full run-down.”
Benarry waits for the jug to make its way back to her, then takes a long swig. “I mentioned in Drenchport that the Society wants you to explore a recently discovered ruin somewhere north of the Shackles. Well, that was partly true, but it wasn’t exactly the whole story.” Benarry’s eyes narrow and her grin becomes unsettlingly sharklike. “We’re actually sending you to the Gloomspires, to Old Sevenfingers’s tomb.” Chuckling softly, she slides the jug back across the table. “Here, have another nip. Looks like you need it.”
Once the PC's explain what the know the Venture Captain speaks again. “I’ve been researching the Gloomspires for a very long time. Before I sailed to Absalom and joined the Society, I was a Free Captain here in the Shackles. Back then I learned about the Gloomspires, Old Sevenfingers, and all the treasure and secrets the old devil took with him when he sealed himself in his tomb.”
A long, rumbling growl of thunder makes Benarry pause, and she takes the opportunity to wet her lips with another swig of rum before she continues. “Since joining the Society, I’ve been able to learn even more about the Gloomspires. Most importantly, I’ve discovered that they’re tied to certain alignments of the stars, and that twice each year—beginning on the nights of the summer and winter solstice —the columns cease moving for exactly three days.
“So, tomorrow’s the summer solstice. Now that you know the ‘where’ and the ‘when’ of this little caper, you need to know why the Society’s sending you.” Benarry pauses before continuing in a more conspiratorial voice.
“ I recently came into the possession of a logbook once owned by the pirate captain, Mazzer Thrennt. Before Thrennt ended up as lusca-bait seven years back, he was a moderately successful pirate who shared my obsession with the Gloomspires. It turns out his log contains an inventory of the plunder he liberated over the years, including the loot he found in Sevenfingers’s tomb. One item on Thrennt’s list immediately got my attention: His log described with perfect accuracy a relic from lost Lirgen called the Orb of Stars. I’m certain that this device can manipulate the alignments of the stars—or at least how we perceive them—and historical accounts suggest we could also use it to trick the Gloomspires into thinking that the solstice lasts more than just a day. The Society and I both want that orb, and it’s going to look really good to the folks back home if you’re able to secure it. Here,” she says, passing a sheet of parchment across the table, “I’ve written down some of the particulars.”
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"Who?" Ai looks around at Kaepora's comment, seeing only mostly-familiar faces. Once Venture-Captain Benarry finishes her briefing, Ai reaches for the bottle and peruses the offered sheet of notes. As she reads, she sips. "You know, Picoperi says 'How many eyes does a one-eyed pirate have? Two! Aye aye!'
"Now, let's not get starry-eyed about our prize, heavenly as I'm sure it is. We might be over the moon with wonder, but does his log mention why Thrennt called it the 'hall of the flesh-eaters'? Meat may be a mighty fine feast, but I'd sooner meet the tomb's guardians than be made meat by them."
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"I have heard about these Gloomspires. An ancient field of massive stone columns rising from the Arcadian Ocean. They were already old when the Ghol-Gan Empire was young. The many chambers and passages in the Gloomspires are cursed, monster-infested, or both.
Since the time of Ghol-Gan, many of the Gloomspires have been explored, and some have even been claimed and repurposed by other beings. Of these, Sevenfingers’s tomb is the most well known.
The Gloomspires are inundated with strange, reality-warping effects."
Aroden pauses for a moment and looks like a disturbing memory has struck him. "Almost like... that place where... not a place but... never mind."
He shakes his head and seems to get back on track.
"The columns occasionally move around. To even be in that place feels wrong. This magic of the place also makes teleportation and plane traveling magic very difficult, though summoning spells tend to function normally."
"Who is this Sevenfingers you ask? Well, Sempet Sevenfingers was a legendary pirate who was active in the region 300 years ago. From his dreaded flagship, the Voracious, Sevenfingers commanded a small fleet of pirate ships. He was feared and despised for using cannibals and madmen to augment his boarding parties. So, Ai, those could be the 'flesh eaters' that Thrennt spoke of."
"Bennary, can we buy supplies?"
Bannary nods as Aroden recalls the knowledge of Sevenfinger and the Gloomspires. "Aroden is correct. Ans yes, you may purchase items from the quartermaster on the third deck. Also may take as many digging implements as you can carry from storage."
"If you all have your purchases in order, settle in and prepare yourselves. We should reach the Spires in a few days."
As the ship makes its way to the spires. The massive stone structures pierce the sky. A thick layer of fog shroud the entirety from base to summit.
The trip from the western edge of the Eye of Abendego takes about 2 days, and the PCs experience minimal difficulty navigating the waters and reaching the base of Sevenfingers’s Tomb.
It took nearly two hours to climb the narrow, winding steps to the summit of the great stone column containing Sevenfingers’s tomb. Although the swirling chaos of the Eye of Abendego lies only a hundred miles away to the east, the violent storms it constantly hurls across the seas seem to have forgotten this eerily quiet place. Surrounding the monolith are dozens of nearly identical columns, their ominous outlines stretching down into the mist. And here, atop Sevenfingers’s tomb, is a small clearing surrounded by a thick and utterly silent veil of tropical trees, hanging vines, and thick undergrowth, all shrouded in fog.
The summit of Sevenfingers’s tomb is covered with thick tropical foliage. Most of the trees here stand 30 to 40 feet tall and consist of various types of banyan trees, corkwoods, mangroves, palms, and strangler figs. The fog persist up here and makes it difficult to see, and can see through the fog about 20 feet, before it becomes completely obscure.
A broad trail cuts through the foliage and vanishes into the mists to the northwest. To the south and east is the edge of the column, and a sheer five hundred-foot drop. The ground here is a soggy carpet of thick green moss and black soil.
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"Uhhh... Hey guys? We may not be alone here. Watch your backs. See humanoid bones in that old campfire? Probably weeks old, but all the fruits and seeds are picked from the plants, so someone's been here more recently than that. Keep your eyes peeled for an ambush or something." Pai takes her advice to heart, suspiciously searching the fog for any potential threat.
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Ai imagines the warmth and security of the paper lanterns in her childhood home and pops four similar lanterns into existence. They hover over her head, hopefully helping to hold back the heavy fog around them. She comes over when Pai calls.
"You know, there are some tracks there, leading away to the north. It could be worth following." She peers into the fog again. "I always liked soup, but I never thought I'd be breathing it!"
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"I concur my friends! Hoo hoo!" Kaepora draws his Fire-Forged +1 Temple Sword. "It would be best to remain on guard. I have high doubts there is much friendly left on these shores."
Kaepora's shadow comes forth from the ground and follows close behind the party Kaepora then casts the spell Mage Armor on himself and his Phantom.
"Let us go forward into the mists and find what awaits us!" He begins to creep forward.
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Celewen hits himself with his own wand of mage armor. He then casts Longstrider on himself (speed=40 now). Following that, he casts Message and points to the rest of the party so that we can keep in constant communication if something bad happens. Finally, he casts light on his left foot (and will renew it when it expires) to add to the rest of the party's light.
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Pai glances around at everybody buffing themselves up for combat. Seeing the wisdom of that choice, she takes a moment to activate her Enveloping Winds ability. Crackling arcs of lightening spit and jolt around her. Wait. Crap. That's too noisy. Shoot. Sighing in resignation, she deactivates it. "Hey, ah, would anyone be able to share some Mage Armor with me? Or does it work that way? My defense ability is a bit too conspicuous for stealth work."
The group makes there way through the fog. They eventually find their way into another clearing. In the center of this clearing stands a large standing stone, about five feet in diameter and twelve feet tall. Carved into the dark stone are dozens of leering one-eyed humanoid faces, their mouths agape as if preparing to appease some unspeakable hunger.
A bit further ahead.
A crack in the earth splits the ground here, most of it covered by thick weeds and the roots of a huge strangler fig tree. There are several gaps between the roots through which an adventurer might squeeze. Below the tangled roots is a deep shaft that descends into the gloom.
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As soon as the large, dark stone looms into Pai's view, she pauses . At first, she's only concerned about creatures lurking behind it. As she warily steps closer , she finally notices the faces on the stone. Stopping again, she first scans the fog for signs of an ambush, then glances at the faces from where she stands.
She very much wants to keep her distance from that creepy stone. The faces remind her of a recurring nightmare from her childhood, and she almost half fears that if she stands near the stone, a terrible monster will leap out from behind it to grab her in its sharp, horrible claws.
Keeping one eye on the stone, she keeps scanning the fog for anything suspicious and stays close to the group.
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Aroden checks the disturbing idols. A distant memory tugs at his mind. He casts Detect Magic.
"Necromancy. Not powerful, but still, beware."
He probably does get within 10 feet of it. He reacts with a start.
"It tries to play on your fears. Don't get too close to it."
Looking at the tangled roots, he says, "I do have a potion of Reduce Person. Would make it easier to pass through."
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"I, Ai, think that if we keep an eye to the stone and an eye to the fog, we can send someone sneaky through the roots to see what's on the other side. All in favor say 'Aye'." Ai edges closer to the stone to examine the carvings. "You know, I had a statue for a friend, once upon a time. He wasn't the best at small talk, but I could always count on him to be there for me. Somehow, I don't think these carvings are as reliable."
"I could give whoever goes through there Picoperi's blessing. It would give you my outstanding willpower and resolve!"