"Maddie, get me up there!" Remy shouts. The young wizard casts fly on the monk, allowing her to soar up into the air in pursuit of Zutha. Her heart pounds in her ears as she gives in to Flik's raging song! She growls as she reaches the runelord and tries to wrap him in a headlock!
She just misses due to Zutha's displacement!
Flik recognizes that Zutha is a lich! As such, he is resistant to physical damage that is not bludgeoning. He is also immune to cold, electricity, and polymorph effects.
Fergus's crossbow bolts fall short. Borgol's swing misses as well due to the displacement protecting the runelord. Zutha smirks as he casts a quickened spell, trying to blind Remy. He then turns on Borgol, casting defensively and targeting him with a finger of death!
Borgol swings his sword and punches out with his shield, trying to knock the Lich from the sky.
for
Borgol curses the defensive spell, "Golden Bow, can anyone counter that?"
Now that he is able to fly, Fergus will go up to give Remy a hand!
I smite you creature! He shouts.
He misses!
"Don't let his defenses discourage you! We can do this!"
Flik casts good hope!
Remy resists Zutha's attempt to blind her. She lays into him with her fists, landing three hits despite his displacement. Two of them are critical strikes!
Though Fergus misses with his attack, Borgol manages to knock Zutha back a few paces with his shield slam. Remy lands several powerful strikes, cracking the runelord's rib cage and leaving him badly wounded.
Zutha casts a quickened spell, vanishing from sight. He reappears a few seconds later about 30 feet away, using his magic to try to drive the air out of Remy's lungs and suffocate her!
Remy barely manages to resist Zutha's necromancy! She chokes and gasps for breath, swaying unsteadily in the air as she flies into a flanking position, though she is unable to attack this round.
"None of your tricks!"
Flik continues his performances and casts glitterdust on Zutha. (DC 17)
Borgol smiles as the dust outlines a figure a few feet away from the image, and flies over, swinging the flaming blade with all his might -- physical and divine.
for
Searok says, I smite thee!
Having bolstered the group with her support magic, Maddie finally gets the chance to unleash one of the powerful new spells she has mastered. A crackling beam of green energy lances out from her outstretched hand, striking Zutha square in the chest. The lich howls as huge portions of his body crumble away into ash and smoke, leaving him terribly wounded! Borgol delivers a strike with his blade, empowered by Erastil's holy power, then Fergus smites the runelord with his axe!
With the final blow, Zutha lets loose a retching gulp as he and his gear collapse into a pile of decay and ruin. Over the course of several minutes, the pile wafts away into shadows before fading entirely from the physical world. During this time, you feel raw necromantic energy metaphysically caressing your souls, bolstering them with power.
Remy rubs at her throat as she recovers from Zutha's suffocation spell. She stares at the rotten remains of the runelord for a few moments as the enormity of what they have just accomplished settles in. Then, she laughs heartily.
"Ha! We did it! We killed Zutha! We defeated a runelord!" She throws her arms around Borgol and hugs him tightly.
"Oh my! I'm glad we were able to strike him down. Such evil would have destroyed Varisia."
Flik pats himself and straightens his hat. There were some close calls there!
"I knew we'd do it! He never stood a chance!" Maddie triumphantly kicks the pile of dust that was the former archwizard.
You make your way back to Magnimar to bask in your victory. It is likely only a matter of time before Sorshen contacts you again to help you plan your next move against the returning runelords, but for now, you have earned a bit of downtime to rest, recover, and prepare for the challenges that lay ahead!
Borgol accepts the hug, still slightly stunned at the strange sensation of having channeled holy energy through himself and his blade to strike the Lich. The strange feeling is quickly gone, however, replaced by necromantic protection.... which is quickly pushed away as the waves of joy and sense of victory register -- before those are quickly lost in Remy's embrace. He holds her tightly for a moment, reassuring himself that she -- that they both -- still live, before whispering, "By the Stag... that was... legendary."
8 Kuthona, 4718 AR
You spend some more downtime in Magnimar, honing your newly acquired skills and preparing for your next adventures. Something strange seems to be occuring, however. You are beginning to find it more and more difficult to recall events from the past. The further back you try to remember, the hazier things become. Perhaps more unsettling is the fact that you can no longer remember the names of the Sihedron Heroes! You still know that a group of heroes were sent by the Sihedron Council on a secret mission against the runelords, but their identities remain a mystery, no matter how hard you concentrate...
A few days after Zutha's defeat, Runelord Sorshen contacts you via a dream spell. She beams at you as she delivers her message. "I must congratulate you on your recent success! You have passed the first true tests of your prowess, and now the true task is at hand. Meet be once more by Gatefoot in Korvosa so that we might discuss the next steps."
Having mastered the necessary magic, Maddie is able to teleport you to Korvosa the next day, and Sorshen is eager to hear all of the details of your adventures under Kaer Maga and the battle with Zutha. Once the tale is told, she congratulates you again but then grows serious.
"You have done great things in defeating Zutha and preventing Krune's resurrection, but now you must know that these tasks were more akin to auditions than anything else. I had to be sure you had what it took to defeat a runelord, for an even greater threat must now be faced. Runelord Xanderghul, the only one I would consider a rival to my own power, did not waken from his slumber with as much grace and aplomb as I. Something happened as he emerged from his metaphysical shelter, and he has been much reduced in strength. Make no mistake, he remains one of the most dangerous wizards in your land, but for now, you have a chance of defeating him. And you must do so, before he can regain his full strength!
"When I arrived in this reality, I knew Xanderghul remained apart from the world. I'm unaware of the details, but I felt it when Alaznist ambushed him while he remained hidden and asleep. I felt when he woke, and I felt when he died. Alaznist likely thinks she's triumphed over him, but I know better— Xanderghul would never let mere death stop him. But his death weakened him. I suspect that when she murdered him, Alaznist absorbed much of his power. What she's using that power for, I cannot guess.
"Regardless, the most logical place to look for Xanderghul is the Grand Temple of the Peacock Spirit, which is located in the Kodar Mountains. Xanderghul invited all seven of us to aid in the temple's construction, but I had little interest in lending him many of my resources. My religious beliefs have always aligned with others, and I never quite understood the draw of the Peacock Spirit. I know where the Grand Temple is located, in the center of a lake within a hidden valley in the Kodar Mountains, but I've always prided myself in having never given Xanderghul or the cult the honor of a visit.
"I never paid the cult much attention in my day; they always seemed too self-absorbed to be worth the bother. The cult prided itself on its secrecy, and in the end, the most information likely exists in the libraries maintained by their Therassic Order. I believe one such library was recently rediscovered by some of your contemporaries, yes? Under a place now known as Jorgenfist? I would seek that location out for more information, if I were you."
"Yes, we should arm ourselves with knowledge! We were successful against Zutha because we had such good intelligence."
Flik is serious at the charge for their next mission, but also excited about visiting the library and wandering through Varisia once more.
"Yeah! If we know enough, we can do anything!" Maddie's voice triumphantly agrees from somewhere around head height, "To the library! Let's take out some more old geezers!"
Sorshen smiles at your enthusiasm. ”I will not be traveling with you, but also I will not send you against Xanderghul without any aid at all. Once you feel you are ready to travel to the Temple of the Peacock Spirit, I am willing to reveal myself to the world. Without this, surely Xanderghul would realize the threat you pose him, but once I begin to move openly in the world, Xanderghul will no doubt swiftly notice. I can continue to distract him for some time, and as long as I do so, the Runelord of Pride will be unlikely to spare you any attention.”
As usual, Remy is a bit uncomfortable in the presence of the woman her body was cloned from. "Zutha, Xanderghul, Alaznist... I suppose the only way to ensure the world's safety is to make sure all of them are gone. We'll do this, Sorshen, but for the world's sake, not for yours."
Borgol nods at Remy's statement, "At this point, the world -- and our memories -- have so totally changed, I'm not even sure what we're saving or salvaging." He sighs, "Before we spend our time in the library, though, any information you could share about his normal tactics would be helpful."
He then pauses, blinking, "...and I'm suddenly very curious what 'revealing yourself' means, in this context, especially given the Runelords' tendency to seek to rule..."
”Borgol, darling! Are we still doubting my motives?” Sorshen says with a smirk. ”As I told you before, I have turned over a new leaf. When I say I shall ‘reveal myself’ I simply mean that I will cast aside my disguises and engage in idle dalliances and flights of fancy across Varisia. Knowing Xanderghul, he will obsess over my actions as he tries to decipher the true meaning behind the nonstop parade of frivolities I’ll be engaging in. With luck, he won’t see you coming until it’s far too late.
“As far as his tactics, Xanderghul was the most powerful illusionist in Thassilon. Do not take anything you see in his lair at face value. He cannot cast conjugation or transmutation spells, but evocations and enchantments are fair game for him. As always when dealing with Runelords, exercise extreme caution and be sure you are absolutely prepared before you confront him.”
Borgol laughs despite himself, "I imagine the fact that he's an illusionist will make it hard for him to just accept your behaviour on the surface and will probably drive him crazy as he looks for the hidden plan."
He shakes his head, "Useful. Especially if it's actually true and there is no additional hidden agenda."
After the group departs, Borgol offers, "I can ask Erastil for a spell that lets me see through any illusion, but it only lasts a moment. There is a more powerful version of it that lasts minutes, but I'm not quite able to cast it.... " He shrugs, then offers, "We might be able to get scrolls, but they won't be cheap."
Fergus listens to the Runelord's tals and thinks, If only Cordwin was here. He would be able to tell us some things! The thought of Cordwin causes Fergus to think that there is something else he should remember about Cordwin, but he can't for the life of him think what that is...
"Well, let's see what we find at Jorgenfist," Remy says. "Maybe we'll get more treasure so that we can afford those scrolls."
***
The quickest way to get to Jorgenfist is to teleport to Roderic’s Cove and travel up the Storval Stairs into the Iron Peaks. Buying horses, you travel east along the edge of the Churlwood to the town of Ravenmoor, then head northeast across trackless plains as you approach the Storval Stairs. The Storval Rise is one of the most unique and infamous landmarks in Varisia; the change in terrain from the fertile lowlands to the rugged and stony scrublands of the plateau above marks the lands of giants and barbarians with an unmistakable boundary.
The rise itself often reaches dizzying heights of 1,000 feet or more, but at the location known as the Storval Stairs, the cliffs are only 400 feet high, and feature an ancient Thassilonian monument once used by armies of enslaved giants for easy foot travel between the lowlands and the plateau. The Storval Stairs rise in 2-foot steps, and are flanked on either side by immense statues of Runelord Karzoug (although the southern statue has finally begun to crumble and erode) and walls of ancient towers, buildings, and dwellings.
Once atop the Rise, you head east towards the Iron Peaks, navigating broken hills and low mountains until at least you near your destination. The mountains give way here to a wide valley perched on the upper edge of a cliff overlooking the Muschkal River. At the western edge of the valley entrance, a lone watchtower stands upon a low hill, but this structure is overshadowed by the larger one that looms in the valley proper. Here stands a ring-shaped stone wall, fifty feet in height and surrounding several buildings, the most impressive of which is a looming black tower with blade-like crenellations that overlooks the river gorge. Within the ring, a one-hundred-fifty-foot tall stone spire rises, surrounded by three low buildings. Apart from the black tower, five smaller towers are built into the fortress wall—one of these towers is wider than the others and seems to be the only gateway into the courtyard within.
As the walled complex comes into view, though, the world suddenly falls eerily silent. Leaves carried on the wind freeze in the air. The waters of the Muschkal River below stand still. Even the clouds in the sky above become motionless. The entire region seems frozen in time--though you are able to move about freely.
Flik holds up a hand and just keeps himself from touching one of the frozen leaves.
"Maddie, I'd say this is one of your pranks, but I fear it's not so harmless."
Borgol notes how the water of the river has stopped flowing and his hand falls to his blade, "Might be more of those creatures that attack because they think we're the ones messing with time," he warns.. and begins to scan around for threats.
Borgol does not notice any threats in the immediate area. As you draw near Jorgenfist, though, it is impossible not to notice a huge purple dragon perched atop the tower. After a moment, the dragon flickers like a mirage and then disappears.
A few moments later, the dragon appears again. It seems to fly backward through the air, as if reversed in time, only to vanish once it appears to land atop the tower. It's as if the dragon didn't land so much as take off from the tower in reverse.
Another few seconds pass, then the dragon appears in the courtyard west of the entrance gate, just in front of you. Up close, you can see that the dragon’s cracked scales creak with frightening, patient power. Some of its horns are ancient and brittle, others new and pristine. He is huge, the size of an elephant, and he looks down at you curiously.
"Perhaps the place you seek is the place I have lost." The dragon steps backward to stand among what was once a feasting hall for giants.
You experience a sense of deja vu. You feel like you have spoken to the dragon before, introducing yourselves.
"If we are looking for the same thing, perhaps we can help each other, mighty one! We are looking for the library of Jorgenfist, where we hope to find information to help prevent a disaster here in Varisia. What is the place you have lost?"
Flik does not recognize what kind of dragon this might be. Certainly, it is not native to Golarion!
The dragon nods his head before disappearing again. After several seconds, he emerges from a large opening in a spire in the middle of the fortress, just opposite of the entrance gate. He seems quite pleased and says, “At last, you have come.” He then moves to perch on a large, dilapidated stable to the east of the gate.
You get the sense that the dragon is confused but trying not to jump to conclusions or assume that you are enemies.
The dragon disappears yet again, then reappears in the middle of a ruined building just beyond the courtyard. “Perhaps you are here to help me...” He launches into the air and lands on the entrance gate behind you. “... Or perhaps I remember you because it was you who did this to me!”
"Ooh!" Maddie squeals in delight at the frozen expanse around them, trying to study it all. She even activates her own momentary time stop to see how it affects their surroundings.
"We are not your enemies, and you would do well to keep it that way," Remy says sternly, staring the strange dragon down. "We have killed a runelord. You don't want to get on our bad side."
Maddie identifies the dragon as a time dragon, a native of the elusive Dimension of Time! He seems to be caught up in the local phenomenon, a vast swath of localized frozen time. Likely, some powerful artifact nearby is creating the phenomenon.
The dragon glowers at Remy for a few moments before disappearing. He appears again, perched on the stable once again. His brow furrows as he says, “I have dreamed about us meeting here for some time now, but I do not know why we are here in the first place.” He steps off the stable and moves into the empty courtyard space.
Borgol says, "Well, we know why we are here. And would probably be quite willing to help you figure out why you are."
"Ooh! You're a time dragon! Do you know what's making time freeze? Oh, yeah. I think your dreams are kinda like mine, ya? Where ya're chatting with yourself, but they've been kinda broken recently because of all the damage being done to the timeline?
The dragon disappears, then reappears at the top of the entrance gate, glaring down at you. "So... There is a major temporal disturbance behind my predicament. I see."
He ceases his vanishing, and it seems he has returned to a normal flow of time, at least for now. "My name is Ninuron," he says slowly, wincing in pain every so often. "I do not remember how I came to your world. There are large gaps in my memory, but I have had strange dreams of late. I do not know if these dreams are my memories or shards from various potential futures. As the dreams grew more and more vibrant, I realized that they were drawing him to this specific location, where I would find people who could help me.
"I knew I was in the right place when I arrived to find the fracture in time here. Time itself seems to have come to a standstill in this complex. And now you are here. Please, I need your help."
We will help you mighty dragon any way we can! Fergus says with a nod.
"Thank you, noble dwarf. I believe the time fracture is a recent development, else I would have heard about it before now," Ninuron says. "I can feel that something within the Therassic Library below this complex is linked to the fracture. If you can find out what it is, it might give me the information I seek to find my way back home. I have accumulated a sizable hoard during my time on this plane. Provided you find anything to help me, I promise I will give it to you when you return."
"An excellent arrangement! You seem very wise: Tell me, do you know anything about the Runelords that are awakening in this country? They seem to have defeated the ravages of time in various ways."
”I have heard their names whispered in rumors and legends, but I do not know much about them,” Ninuron says.
Borgol says softly, "If whatever's happening is powerful enough to trap the dragon, I think our little library trip has become considerably more complicated." He winks at Remy, "So you'll just have to be even more extraordinary than usual."
"I'll do my best to shine," Remy replies, flexing an arm and grinning at Borgol.