Ridill timidly returns as the spell wears off, apologizing for deciding that Tornell was awful and disgusting.
With Mrs Pedipalp twitching on the floor you get a good look at the room and the dream gate.
It appears that the three cosmological models are quite valuable, but more interestingly, they all have components that radiate magic. It may be a trick to dismantle the models to extract them though.
The large hoop on the Dream Gate can be rotated, but Artyom manages to realize that the hoop will just drain the life force of whomeever operates it into the Dimension of Dreams. Don't do that.
The goal here is instead just to shut the damn th ing down. To do that, someone with some arcane knowhow will need to disrupt the magical energies, while someone else with nice fiddle fingers can disconnect some key components. Failing to do so may result in some life force being drained.
"So ... Artyom? Ricky? Can you figure out what needs to be done here? If you can point, Alara has a delicate touch and can probably get things aligned right."
Artyom looks at the cosmological models. "These seem valuable. And some of the components are magical. However..." He turns to the Dream Gate. "That needs to be dealt with." He examines the device. "Alright. So, the upside is that we don't need to move the large hoop. While it can be rotated, it'll drain that person's life force. What we need to do is shut it down. It'll require at least two people. One of us will need to disrupt the magical energies while the other disconnects the key components. However, we'll need to do this right. If not, some of our life force will be drained." He looks at the others. "I think Alara and I should try to shut it down. I'll cast fox's cunning to help increase my intelligence. That should give me some kind of edge." He casts fox's cunning.
As Artyom casts a spell to sharpen his mind, Malvo turns to Alara. "Alright, once he figures out what needs to be done, you've got the careful touch to do it. I'll be right behind you!"
With Malvo coordinating and Ricky squawking some advice from Artyom's shoulder you all get to work. Artyom's brain immediately feels brainier than ever, and the mechanism of the Dream Gate makes perfect sense to him.
As he fiddles with the controls, Alara follows instructions and starts smoothly disengaging components on Dream Gate. Finally after a few tense minutes, there's a bwoooop and the humming electricty from the Dream Gate ends.
There's a suddenly feeling of clarity as the nightmare influence leaves the tower, and indeed the entire Scriptorium. You've done it!
You all take a moment to congratulate each other and while doing so it takes -very- little time for you to hear a cry of joy as the wyrwoods clatter back in and Salighara soon arrives herself.
"Well... ahem. Thank you. This is very embarrassing for everyone I'm sure."
She nods to some wyrwoods who drag off Mrs. Pedipalp's weird body. She produces an ornate device, and stamps you all on the arm. As you try to speak to her, she just stares at you awkwardly.
"Oh here, take this. It's very good for murder. And you can spend the night but no longer! We have work to do."
A wyrwood produces an ornate quill, which is offered up to the party.
"This is a soul scribe quill, top notch necromancy yes it is. If someone is before you and dying, you can use the quill to write in the air a sentence about how they die. And when they die, you are empowered by the appropriate passage to the afterlife."
Malvo looks at the quill, and glances over to Tornell. "Is this something you'd want to carry? If not, I can."
Salighara, thank you for the offer of a place to rest. It's nice to be able to sleep and feel confident things aren't going to try to eat us."
-------------
Ridill timidly returns as the spell wears off, apologizing for deciding that Tornell was awful and disgusting.
"Don't apologize for stating the truth," Tornell tries to joke.
Malvo looks at the quill, and glances over to Tornell. "Is this something you'd want to carry? If not, I can."
"Sounds a bit creepy to have at all, frankly. Especially as the situations where we're hastening people's deaths (Which I feel is going to be happening a lot) are not the times to twiddle with a feather in the air. Still, you've probably got more important things to do during that time. So yeah, I'll hold on to it for now."
"Well, at least we've got this bit over and done with. We're one step closer to getting home." Alara stretches her legs. "We've earned a bit of rest."
Artyom shifts his pack. "Rest sounds good. Then, back to Umble and Thoot." He turns back to the cosmological models, interested in the magical components.
Artyom checks with Salighara who tells him that the astrological models are his as an additional reward, she just wants to get back to her scriptorium. Taking the night, Artyom inspects the models. Embedded into them are:
- a ring of feather falling
- a stone of alarm
- a bead of force
The models are worth around 300 gold between all of them and extracting the magic items would require some delicate clockwork skill. Or you could just break them apart and get the goodies therein.
----
You make your way back to the site of your arrival in the Boneyard. There, you see the souls of the townsfolk and the life you once had ready to be shepherded to the afterlife. Umble and Thoot watch over the flock of souls. The curious bird and its monstrous skeletal companion make their way over.
"Adulationosity and joyousness! You have your stamps, this is most wonderful. Such a thing has never been perceived of, has it Thoot?"
Thoot just stares.
"You are free to rest and take a moment, to leave the Boneyard and return to Golarion you must simple retrace the steps these souls took. That's left, left, right, north-left, do a U turn, take the stairs down and avoid the tree he's a pervert, and then take fourteen first rights. Except on the twelfth one take the second right. Thoot will write it down, won't you Thoot?"
Thoot continues to stare.
"Do NOT leave the dead roads, or you'll fall off and just be back here and frankly our superiors are getting a little miffed at news of you. I'd be hasty about it less Mictena gets on your case. Also, this is where you can say goodbye. I'd do it now, these souls await their judgement and the Lady of Graves shall not be kept waiting!"
"Also, this is where you can say goodbye. I'd do it now, these souls await their judgement and the Lady of Graves shall not be kept waiting!"
Malvo looks over at the assembled townfolk. "I don't think I have any reason to talk to anyone at this point. I'm a Lastwall Wolfrider, and my duty is to those still alive. It's time for me to get back to them."
He closes his eyes for a moment and his lips move silently. Then he looks back at Umble and recites, "That's left, left, right, north-left, do a U turn, take the stairs down and avoid the tree. Take eleven first rights, then on the twelfth one take the second right, then two more first rights." He blinks, then asks, "Wait. What does 'north-left' mean?"
"Also, this is where you can say goodbye. I'd do it now, these souls await their judgement and the Lady of Graves shall not be kept waiting!"
Artyom thinks on this for a bit and goes to find Vibia in the crowd. When he sees her, he hesitates, unsure as to what to say.
Alara abruptly gasps as fresh tears sting the corners of her eyes, her throat seizing with sorrow as she goes to find her parents one last time.
Artyom tries to apply his vast knowledge of architecture to the small cosmological models. Try as he might, his knowledge of how to design a building doesn't quite translate to the careful manipulation of the small gears and pieces that attach the model together.
Alara heads into the crowd to find her parents who are standing placidly among everyone else. Kasumi and Variel have a somewhat serene look to them but appear to be more 'with it' than they were before and are delighted to spy the group arriving. They quickly begin speaking in Tien.
"Oh gods we were worried sick. The psychopomps are trying to stop us from worrying and we insisted we stay until you returned. We have to leave soon, the Lady of Graves waits for no-one."
Alara's mother places her ghostly arms around her daughter's shoulders. "We have spoken with the village. Something killed all of us... and you too we think. You must return and find out what happened."
Variel cuts in, stoic and calm. "We have trained you for this. Honor the family Alara. We are... proud of the woman you are. We do not know what judgement awaits us. We killed many and eternal war in Setesendu may be our reward. We hope for better."
Alara swallows, her eyes still watering, and she tentatively nods. "I... I understand."
I still don't feel dead...
"I'll make you both proud of me, wherever you find yourselves."
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Tornell looks out at the spirits of the townsfolk, deep in contemplation.
Or isn't there? Maybe some family and friends have survived? Well, not any longer, he reminds himself. Perhaps he should go through, try to find any family to say goodbye to? Would it provide him any peace? Would it provide them with any?
And what would he say? That he was too much of a coward to return to town, even after it was refounded? He fled and hid in the big city for ten years until forced to go back there by his superiors?
And would they even recognize him anymore? Even Tornell admits those ten years in the city have changed him. His waistline, if nothing else.
Tornell tries to justify it to himself. Better they believe he died a hero than lived a coward. Coward? Look at what I've gone through so far. I've dealt with whatever this stupid boneyard has thrown at me. Gonna call yourself a coward because of that? Hell, yeah, because you were forced through this. Having to talk to people is harder.
Though he looks deep in thought, he doesn't head out into town, content to simply stare out at them, mumbling a few prayers for their safe passage to the hereafter.
On the trip back (and during some of the rest period), Artyom begins to work on adding more spells to his spellbook. Pulling out the enemy's spellbook, he casts read magic and begins to pour over it. He takes his time to carefully decipher and memorize each spell that he's not familiar with. He also takes the time to prepare a new set of spells for the next leg of their journey.
If the check fails, the wizard cannot understand or copy the spell. He cannot attempt to learn or copy that spell again until one week has passed. If the spell was from a scroll, a failed Spellcraft check does not cause the spell to vanish.
In most cases, wizards charge a fee for the privilege of copying spells from their spellbooks. This fee is usually equal to half the cost to write the spell into a spellbook (see Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook). Rare and unique spells might cost significantly more.
[spoiler=Farewell to Vibia]After some hesitation, Artyom musters his courage and approaches his sister. "Hello, Vibia. I just got back. I'm going to have to go soon. But I just wanted to see you off and say my goodbyes." Tears begin to well in the wizard's eyes. "I also wanted to say that... I'm sorry."
You all take a moment to say your goodbyes. Tornell torn on what his role here is before he silently blesses the town from afar. Alara with a tearful farewell to her parents, who is both chilled and warmed by a ghostly embrace before they rejoin the procession. Her mother turns to her with one last word. "I love you. Do good."
Artyom's twin sister smiles gently at him, the vivaciousness he was used to replaced by a serenity. "The psychopomps have been very kind, I accept this is where I have to be now. You will come before the Lady of Graves too, dear brother. I hope you have such wonderful stories to tell her. We will see each other again."
With that, Roslar's Coffer turn to walk the boneyard to face Pharasma's judgement. You say your final goodbyes to your family, friends, and loved ones - or not - and turn to walk the dead roads once more. Umble's somewhat confused directions turn out to be easy to follow and it is no more than an hour before you arrive at a strange garden.
What's even stranger is Umble didn't mention anything about a garden.
===============
===============
The road crests a low hill of thorns and dead grass before dropping into an enormous valley strewn with gravestones. The road is plain in the moonlight, but it suddenly wavers as a garden of bright flowers and high hedges rises up to block the road. From this high vantage point, the garden resembles an enormous skull adorned with flowers.
The road leads directly into this garden, and it's clear to go around would likely just land you back up in the Boneyard where you started.
"Can't something about this be easy for a change?"
Malvo sighs, and then closes his eyes for a moment, concentrating. When he opens them again, they glow faintly before returning to normal. He then turns to Alara and touches her shoulder. "This looks like something that will need careful attention and finesse. I'll keep lookout, but I need you at the top of your game."
He looks out over the garden, trying to figure out how to get through it.
Artyom frowns at the sight of the garden. Turning to Ricky on his shoulder, the wizard says, "Scout the area. But be careful." Ricky nods and takes flight, circling around a bit. Artyom also mutters a spell and his eyes glow a pale white.
Ricky swoops over the garden to get a good view about what lies within, circling once before returning to Artyom. As he circles, he mentions that at least one strange golden man spotted him, but didn't seem surprised or afraid.
- Immediately after the entrance there are four golden men tending the garden.
- After that is a nice walk with a big statue and a huge white willow to the south. The garden looks like it's rotting along the southern bits.
- There's a woman in an owl mask with a huge raven standing on the bridge in the middle with gravestones floating around her. She seems like she's waiting.
- More golden men tending garden south of her.
- Eventually it ends at a gazebo, Ricky didn't fly low enough to spy in.
Ricky's description of the golden men matches what you know of shabti who are a peculiar form of extraplanar creature tied to the denizes of Orision. Shabti are facsimiles of wealthy or powerful mortals seeking to escape judgement for their sins upon death. Grown from broken bits of mortal souls, shabti endure whatever cosmic punishments or labor might await their creators in the afterlife.
The woman on the bridge is almost certainly an ahmuuth psychopomp. An ahmuuth is responsible for helping mortals destroy undead and dispatch renegade souls evading the goddess’s judgment.
"Those golden men sound like shabti. They are a strange creature from another plane that take punishments for people trying to escape afterlife judgment. The woman is probably some sort of psychopomp. If we're lucky, they won't be aggressive."
"Artyom, can you cast that spell to help me be more convincing again? I'm not sure how long it lasts, but maybe it could help us talk our way past these folks."
Artyom is familiar with the shabti. But the female psychopomp eludes him. At Malvo's question, Artyom frowns. "Uh... I... didn't prepare it. However, I can still cast it. Give me a moment." He then begins to chant. As he chants, his eyes begin to glow a pale white. The pages of his spellbook glow faintly. With a final word, a faint white trail comes from his forehead. He then lays a hand on Malvo's shoulder and the halfling feels his natural charisma bolstered.
Artyom casts a lovely spell and Malvo positively glows with likability. You just want to get to know the guy, y'know?
With preparatory magic done, Malvo takes the straightforward course and walks right up to the gate. Before stepping in, he calls out to the nearest gardener, "Excuse me, we need to pass through. Do you mind?"
Alara walks up with Malvo, quietly anticipating the worst to happen.
Alara's gut feeling is correct as the gardeners all raise their hands into a martial stance, dropping their tools. One speaks up.
"Mistress Mictena said you would be coming. It is our honor to stop you!"
Ridill
Tornell
Artyom
---
Gardeners
---
Malvo
Alara
"It's an honour to get your asses beat? I'll never understand you extraplanar weirdos."
Artyom scowls as the shabti begin to move to fight. "No, no, no. That's not how you do things. We approached you with diplomacy. You should respond with diplomacy in return. Rushing to violence in response to diplomacy? At the orders of Mictena? How... barbaric and uncivilized your mistress is." He then chants while swirling his hand around, sand falling from his fingertips. When he's finished, he hurls a pellet of sand in the center. It instantly fills the 20 foot radius with a field of churning sand that spits gouts of flames.
"Do not seek to lecture us on ... ahhh!" shouts one as burning sands spread under their feet.
Three of them rush in with a fourth stuck on the sands. The three that awkwardly move through through the sand into melee attack without weapons, using their monastic skills to deliver furious punches and kicks! Almost all of the attacks are avoided but Alara gets winged in the arm with a shuriken.
Ridill
Tornell
Artyom
---
Gardeners:
Black (-1)
Blue (-1)
Copper
Regular
---
Malvo
Alara
Malvo mutters, "Why do we always have to do it the hard way? Can't we have a nice friendly chat for once?"
Louder, he calls out, "Well, I tried. Defend yourselves! They're no match for us!"
Alara winces and starts to swing her nunchaku!
Alara manages to bap one of the monks in the head and Tornell finishes up with a strike of his own, downing one opponent. While Malvo inspires the group, Ridill moves in with his sword while Artyom's quarterstaff whizzes past before snapping back into his hand. Shurikens whip overhead while a monk moves in stoically to replace his fallen companion and get out of the burning sands.
Ridill
Tornell
Artyom
---
Gardeners:
Black (-1)
Blue (-5)
Plain (-10)
---
Malvo
Alara
Artyom once again throws his quarterstaff at the gray clad monk!
Alara snaps her nunchaku out again!
"Keep it up, everyone!" Malvo makes sure everyone is positioned, then turns to attack the newest opponent.
Everyone lands their blows as you continue pummeling the monks.
Ridill
Tornell
Artyom
---
Gardeners:
Black (-12)
Blue (-5)
Plain (-14)
---
Malvo
Alara
Tornell wallops another monk, sending this one to the ground while Ridill follows up by stepping up close with the grey monk and downing that one as well. The final monk scampers across the sand in obvious pain before missing a wild kick at Alara.
"Y'know, we could've avoided all of this if you just let us pass!" Alara grumbles as she swings her nunchaku again.
"I tried the nice way, and see where it got us."
"Stupid suicidal stubborn weirdos!"