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The summons has come.
From atop the high bluff, the sprawling city of Absalom at your back, your destination looks like nothing so much as an errant pile of rocks and loose boulders. A Siege Castle, they call it, one of an endless number of ruins surrounding the City at the Center of the World, time-lost fortresses of would-be conquerors. In thousands of years, Absalom has never fallen, leaving a scattering of forgotten towers, castles, and keeps strewn at odd intervals like corpses on a battlefield. As you near, the structure’s irregular contours take form. Huge monoliths of old stone form a squat platform about a hundred feet square. Centuries of rubble and debris litter the top of the platform, which levels out twenty feet from the ground. A fallen tower or crumbling rampart rises from the rubble here and there, but the ruin looks beyond hope of restoration, its run-down architecture more a part of the natural landscape than an edifice crafted by the hands of men. But there, at the center of the southern wall, lies the landmark spoken of in your summons—sturdy double doors of bright red metal. The time to test your adventuring skills is at hand. It’s your turn to face the Gauntlet!
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Very few words have passed her lips during the march out of Absalom and across the scarred battle lands laid around it. "Lissanya." is all you receive in introduction. Tall and painfully thin, she steps lightly through the ruins, almost appearing ready to disappear completely. A study green cloak covers black leather, faded gold trim accenting the light armor. Bow at the ready, pale blonde hair wisps around her face as she regards the doors intently.
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An imposing snake man strides forth boldly followed by a large armored reptile. Juesturing at the ruin, he says, You mammalsss leave sssuch a messs where ever you go. You ssshould consssume every opponent down to the sssskeleton. Then it will be more difficult for anyone to track you by the sssignsss of your conflictsss.
I am trying to remember any stories I've hear about this place...
A large stegosaurus ponderously follows her master.
Enora, a small female halfling in fine robes looks at all of you with interest.
She walks towards you and says "Oh yes, I am finally here!! Hello, my name is Enora. I assume we are all professionals here!! Might be a good chance to get to know each other. I am from Rahadoum originally and am quite interested in magical phenomena - I hope to have your support in uncovering the secrets of this wonderful world. And I am quite optimistic that we will be successful!" she says cheerfully.
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Narayan approaches the group with his teeth bared in a grin that's... unsettling, but entirely heartfelt.
His jaw juts out over a very short neck, which with his broad shoulders gives him a somewhat squat appearance even though he stands comfortably over 6' tall. His clothing is simple and roughspun, but he has an small cache of various magical implements hung at his belt.
He gives you all a respectful bow with that same fangy smile spreading across his face, and introduces himself, "I am Narayan Ssingh. I musst confesss that I do not know much of thiss Gauntlet. Has anyone sspoken to those who have endured it?"
Enora uses her wand of mage armor and casts false life.
Enora suddenly realises that she is in the wrong mission briefing!!
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Seeing the others magically prepare themselves for combat, Selter does likewise.
Greater magic fang +2 on Sithiss' tail - duration 8 hours
Shield Companion on Sithiss - duration 8 hours
Longstrider on both of them with Improved Spell Sharing - duration 4 hours
Barkskin on both of them with Improved Spell Sharing - duration 40 minutes
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ROOM 1
The red metal doors open to reveal a richly appointed room lit by lanterns along all four walls. A wide carpet of regal blue hue stretches thirty-five feet across the floor to a pair of deep green metal doors set into the north wall opposite you. Halfway across the room, the carpet branches to the west, where it ends at the foot of a golden door with bright silver hinges. Two man-sized statues of sumptuously armored figures in elaborate masks flank the golden door, the glass lenses of their helmets glimmering in the lantern-light as they stand silent vigil. Along the eastern wall, four broad stairs lead to a wide dais on which rests a long banquet table overlooking the room. Behind the table sit three well-composed figures: a long-haired elf in robes wearing a wistful look, a middle-aged human seated before an open book, and a gregarious bald human with a clipped dark beard and a glint in his eye.
You immediately recognize the seated figures as the three powerful deans of the Pathfinder Society’s academy in Absalom, the honored instructors responsible for training young Pathfinders prior to their Confirmation as formal field agents. From north to south, they are the elf Kreighton Shaine, the Society’s Master of Scrolls; Sorrina Westyr , its Master of Spells; and Marcos Farabellus , its Master of Swords
The red metal doors clang shut behind you, echoing against the sturdy stone walls of the lantern-lit chamber. The woman at the center of the table turns to the massive book before her and reads each of your names, pausing for a moment to look straight into the eyes of each hero as his or her name is called. “Able agents,” she says, “the Decemvirate itself has taken notice of your exploits and adventures, and believes that you are called to further greatness on behalf of the Pathfinder Society. To prove that their trust in your abilities is well founded, they have called upon we three deans of the Pathfinder Society, your former trainers, to administer one final test to you. Your task is to venture north, through the green metal doors, and face the Gauntlet’s challenges and eventually emerge through the gold door to the west. Before you proceed, you may each ask each of your old instructors a single yes-or-no question about the dangers to come, which we are obliged to answer as honestly as possible.”
A tall Galtish man steps in and gives everyone in the room a keen eyed examination. after a moment, "I am Quinn, I am not a heavy combatant, nor am I an expert with infiltration, however I am well trained in bypassing traps of all sorts.
As the others prepare spells he quietly goes over the many pockets and vials making sure that he will be able to grab the correct item at the right time.
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A loud, fast-paced thumping can be heard from behind the group, just on the other side of the red doors, which quickly grows in volume and intensity. "Hold them doors!" calls a voice, heavy with dwarvish brogue.
A moment later, the doors swing open once more to reveal a stout dwarven man, suited in a platemail armor that looks like it was crafted from the scales of some draconic creature. His long blonde hair and beard looks like it was once neatly kept, but his recent jaunt seems to have greatly unsettled it. A large, well-made shield is strapped to the dwarf's back, and a slew of hammers hangs from his belt, including a warhammer that looks rather heavy.
The endurance of the dwarves is put on display as he wipes his brow, but otherwise seems barely winded. "Ah, good!" he bellows cheerfully. "Thought ye may have started the fun without me. The name's Gilgrim Flintmaul, hailing from Rolgrimmdur of the Five Kings Mountains. Me shield an' hammer be at yer service." He emphasizes this last comment as he pulls the shield off his back and the warhammer from his belt, then proceeds to ring the two together three times, like some kind of gong. The look on his beaming face shows off the pride of his statment, and possibly the sound.
"Are we more likely to encounter disease than poison?
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"Good. You can stand between me and the enemies."
Gilgrim grins at the genie-kin. "Aye lass. I'll be doing my best, so long as ye can back me up."
"Before you proceed, you may each ask each of your old instructors a single yes-or-no question about the dangers to come, which we are obliged to answer as honestly as possible.”
"I've got a question for ya. Is there any chance that there be any dragon-kin located in this gauntlet? I've hand more than enough of them to last me a time."
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An old man with peeling alabaster skin and golden eyes joins the group at last. His alabaster skin is peeling off in places as though it were old paint, while scar tissue covers the few bits that aren't.
"Greetings fellow Pathfinders. My name is Benevolence, I am a wealth mage of Abadar and will be doing my best to provide us the magical protections we need."
Benevolence asks several of his questions "Are we likely to encounter magical darkness? Will we have an opportunity to safely rest inside the gauntlet?"
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Opening the Green Door:
Room 2
The green metal doors open to reveal a short hallway extending five feet to the north before ending in a billowing curtain of opaque, multi-colored gas. Every few seconds, the gas glows with an inner, largely obscured radiance—first red, then blue, and finally white before the cycle begins anew. The swirling gas makes distance difficult to determine, but perhaps eighty feet away, a wide column of dull green light casts a lugubrious radiance over the chamber.
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Benevolence casts:
Darkvision on: Sithiss, Selter, Narayan & Quinn
False Life on himself
Magic Circle against Evil on himself
Daylight on his staff
Longstrider on himself
Airwalk on Gilgrim
Wand of Mage Armor on self
Wand of Heightened Awareness on self
Countless Eyes on Gilgrim
Benevolence responds:
"Of course"
And casts detect poison.
Benevolence also adds "Either way, stick something not too valuable in, gotta see if it's caustic."
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YEs. The haze/could is poisonous but Benevolence is unable to figure out what type. However Selter does recognize it as
Type poison (inhaled); Save Fortitude DC 18
Frequency 1/round for 6 rounds
Initial Effect 1 Con drain; Secondary Effect 1d3 Con
damage; Cure 2 consecutive saves
if looks like some magic membrane is keeping the haze from flowing back in to the first room, but does not seem to impede your progress. You put the unlit torch end in and pull it out. The haze did not seem to affect the torch.
Also after some study with detect you realize that the alcoves also radiate some type of evocation magic up near the ceiling. But the haze right now prevents you from making out any details of the objects in the alcoves themselves.
The rug down the middle of the room seems to radiate some type of Conjuration effect.
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Gilgrim nods when he hears this. "Sounds simple enough. But I think I'll be avoiding that rug fer th' time being."
The dwarf draws in a deep breath, plugs his nose between his fingers and steps through the curtain of mist/gas.
Once he steps through, assuming nothing else seems to go wrong, he steps to the side, avoiding the rug until they can identify what the enchantment on it does.
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As Gilgrim carefully approaches the first alcove. He makes out a bright red beam of light above the haze of the poisonous cloud, 30 feet off the floor. He can also make out that the bas reliefs are of faces and the beam of light goes between the eyes of the faces across from each other.
Although hazy, Gilgrim can make out a blue then a white beam further in.
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Gilgrim gives the others a moment, seeing if they follow him, to point out the strange beams. If they're hanging back for the moment, he crosses back over to the other side of the 'curtain' and describes what he saw. He also makes mention that the gas is filling the other side completely, so they'll have to be careful about breathing.
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The top 5 feet seem to be clear. That is because you can see the gas pouring out of the stone faces in each of the Alcoves.
As Narayan jumps over the first carpet, the beams from the first set of faces shoot down at him.
Unable to get out of the way he takes the brunt of the beam.
The shock of the beam casuse him to take a deep breath
Taken completly by surprise he gulps in the fumes and is affected by them
Lissanya - dmg;
Narayan - 17 dmg; Con Drain 1; Antitoxin (1:00) ; Darkvision (9:00)
Selter - dmg; Darkvison (9:00) ; Mage Armor (1:00); Longstider; Barkskin; Shield Companion
Sithiss - dmg; Darkvision (9:00); Mage Armor (1:00); Longstider; Barkskin; Shield Companion ; Magic Fang, greater
Quinn - dmg; Darkvions (9:00)
Gilgrim - dmg; Airwalk (1:20); Countless eyes (no flank) (9:00)
Benevolence - dmg; Magic Circle v/Evil (1:20); Daylight (1:20); Longstrider (8:00) ; Mage Armor (1:00); Highten Aware (0:10);[/qoute]