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"Another planet?" Strang exclaims, his tone half concern, half excitement. "I've never been to another planet before. Though I suppose it can't be much different than interplanetary travel."
He involuntarily glances upwards, though there is nothing to see, being indoors and during the day. "To think, that small red star in the sky is actually a massive world like Golarion, populated with its own people and its own creatures."
"Odrian was set up there? It is no wonder he was so hard to find." He seems impressed.
"You say the Maze has a direct portal to another planet? Is it just this Akiton? Or can one get to other planets as well from there?" He asks, curiously. "This Maze is proving quite the resource. The reasearch possibilities alone..." His voice trails off as he pulls out a small journal, and starts making a number of entries.
"I will need to prepare a whole new set of spells, of course." He says eventually. "Though my arcane power is limited, Anubis has more than made up for it."
Eliza answers Dr Strang, "As far as we know, that is the only portal that leads to another planet and it only leads to Akiton."
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Voros seems to stagger at the idea of going on another place on the same plane, but not on Golarion. He asks Eliza with his raspy voice:
"You mean there are other... worlds? Like Golarion? And possibly an infinite... space beyond that..."
Voros seems taken aback by this revelation. As a man of science, he never was a stargazer. However, the thought of other worlds around Golarion shakes him.
"Maybe we'll need magical help for this... change of world. So that we won't suffer dire effects." once said so, the tieffling goes to study books on stars and planets.
After some time alone with books, Voros comes back to the group.
"Maybe a spell of planar adaptation can help..."
"Perhaps. The star system is very large." Eliza answers Voros.
She overhears the mention of the protection spells and cuts in. "I do not think that level of preparations will not be necessary."
Once the PCs are ready, it’s a simple walk to the Maze of the Open Road. Inside, as before, they find Condria, the medusa guardian who is now an ally of the PCs. She gladly escorts them along the hour walk to the Akiton portal. The portal itself is made of red-tinged steel, twisted at impossible angles and framing a shimmering swirl of reddish-orange light that sometimes seems to manifest an impossibly tall pyramid atop which rest thousands of red-skinned humanoids either kneeling or prostrate.
The very light twists and bends as you step through the red portal, time seems to stretch and pull at you, your skin tingles and then burns, and then, just when it begins to hurt, the world solidifies once more, only it’s not your world any longer. You find yourself standing atop a vast stepped pyramid made of enormous blocks of red stone. The pyramid has to be at least 500 feet tall and its base occupies nearly half the dusty city that surrounds it. All around you, down every side of the pyramid, red-skinned humans, their heads shaved clean and dressed only in loincloths and thin shirts, prostrate themselves on every step and chant quietly in unison: “Odrian, Odrian, Odrian.”
Just then a sudden, icy blast of wind tears across the pyramid, disturbing clothes, whipping at red flags, and causing the canvas roof above the portal to groan with age. Though in every direction beyond the city you can clearly see red desert, the air is as cold as a glacier and as thin as the highest mountains on Golarion. None of the red-skinned humans prostrated before you seem to even notice the cold.
But someone has noticed you: suddenly one of the mourners stands and stares at you from under a thick brow with large, dark eyes. Though he wears the same clothing as the rest, he carries a thick sword on his hip, a shield on his back, and a quiver with a few javelins in it on one shoulder. He regards you silently for a moment and then says, in perfectly unaccented Taldane, “if King Adril is yours, you can have him back.”
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Before stepping through the portal, Dr. Strang will cast a few spells in preparations.
As they step out of the portal, into the strange reddish landscape, he can only gaze around in fascination.
"Well now... that was certainly a new experience." He says, absently. "I can only imagine the distances involved ... most magic is not designed for that." He examines the portal for a moment. "Though this one appears to be in working order, at least. Unlike the last."
He does not seem to notice the cold, the protective bubble he cast on everyone earlier keeping the temperature extremes at bay. He does notice the view from atop the gigantic pyramid though.
"And I thought we Osirion's knew how to build a pyramids." He mutters.
The native speaking to them in Taldane he finds intriguing, acknowledging the man with a slight bow.
"Ah, so Hestram is here, somewhere?" He asks, before explaining. "The man is a traitor and a murderer. We come to stop him before he can do even more damage than he already has."
"Is Odrian around?" He adds, hearing the crowds chanting the name. "He should be warned as well."
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That was the weirdest portal I've ever gone through. Sure felt broken to me and kind of hurt. We're probably stuck here now.
Looking around and seeing no green forest as far as I can see, I'm saddened by what these people have done to their planet. The druid in me weeps at the sight of the endless red desert.
Whispering "I don't like this place, it might be cursed. No green anywhere, that can't be good.
"No, he is not. He was slain by the cowardly beast Hestram" the man says before spitting on the ground. "I am Kol Voss, brother to Princess Verrish, the now widow of Prince Odrian"
The crowd begins to stare up at the PC's on the raised platform. They begin to move towards them. They call out to the PC's in desperation. Some of them begin tearing at Dr Strang's robes, while others kneel and hold their blades up to Theodric as an offering. Women, sobbing hysterically, being pushing babies into LT's arms.
As the crowd moves in, they begin pushing and shoving, trying to get as close to the Pathfinder's as possible.
Kol Voss brandishes his sword, removes the shield from his back, and yells in a mighty, booming voice in the same language as the pyramid people.
The crowd backs up and makes an opening. Voss turns back to the agents. “We musn’t stay here. That won’t work for long and they won’t leave you alone so long as they can see you.”
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Before departing, Voros drinks two extracts.
Voros just shrugs at LT and the doctor's comments. Once atop the pyramid, he lets out a disdainful snarl in Azlanti.
"WE ARE NO GODS! MERE HUMANS OF FLESH AND BONES, LIKE EVERYONE OF YOU!"
After a few moments, the tiefling calms down a bit and remembers he's not quite human anymore. He however thanks his ample cloak not to show much of his own appearance.
"Well... mostly." he whispers in Taldane.
After Voss invites the pathfinders to move, Voros quickly follows him, as he is definitely no showman.
Voss looks over his shoulder at the tiefling and smirks, "No like Adril at all."
The crowd withdraws from Voros as he follows the large human.
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Before stepping through Boswick consumes a Bottled Yeti Fur. The paladin now has a tangled pelt of white fur, pushing through any opening in his platemail.
Well met, Kol Voss, I am Boswick Bumbleberry and I'm at your service. I'm sorry to hear we are too late to stop the traitorous Adril. We will follow you, let us find a quieter place where we can discuss what has transpired here.
Boswick follows Voros, What are they saying Voros? Are we in danger?
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"Oh my..." Strang exclaims, as the people start pressing towards the top of the pyramid.
He immediately rises up out of reach, concerned about them dragging him down into the crowd.
"Yes, they appear to be speaking a dialect of Ancient Azlanti." He says, somewhat surprised. "Which leads to all sorts of theories on their origins, for certain."
"Still... this seems a little over the top." He adds, with a thoughtful frown. "What sort of King was Odrian pretending to be, if this is the reaction the people have?"
"Let's clear this up, right now." He starts to call out, in the same language, though not quite as aggressively as Voros moments before.
He seems oblivious to the fact that floating over their heads is kind of counterproductive to the words he's saying.
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Theodric knocks on Dr. Strang's door. When he opens, "Do you have a minute, dear Doctor? I have a business proposition for you."
"Seems a little extreme, all the secrecy, does it not?" He replies, as he examines the spell on the scroll Theodric handed him. "What exactly are you shrinking? Size and composition are relevant when using this sort of magic. Anything more than about three feet on a side, will be too large... and certain materials might interfere with the spell itself."
"Otherwise, I could do this, easily enough." He concedes. "The spell would stay in effect for a couple of weeks, and I could easily extend that to nearly a month, if that is your preference."
"If it is just a one time thing, I could do it in an hour and a bit. But given the importance of our current mission, I'm not sure I could tie up resources continuously, until the task is done... if your intent is to shrink and restore this item, multiple times."
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Theodric will get a puzzled look, when it turns out to be a stuffed owlbear... and a few comments from a medical expert perspective... but Strang will agree to do it, without need of contracts or explanations.
Strang gives Voros an indignant look.
"I have seen the press of desperate civilians many a time... common sense and decorum take a back seat to desperation."
He makes no attempt to get back within their grasp, though floats back a little, to try to be less front and center.
"Is there a less conspicuous place we can go?" He asks Kol Voss, hopefully.
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Just prior to leaving, Lavode finds his contact and passes along all he learned about the slaving operations.
...
Able to understand none of the conversations between the group and the locals, Dr Strange please inform them that neither we, Adril, nor Odrian are gods. Removing Adril from being a problem for them and us is our current highest priority.
"Odrion was not a god. Or any of the people who come from Azlant, as my people call it. I may not like Odrion, but he did bring a kind of peace to Arl."
He looks over his shoulder to Dr Strang. "Follow me"
Kol Voss moves quickly ahead, the city’s pyramid rising tall above the city behind you. He gestures for you to make haste, then ducks down a side street. Once you catch up, Kol is standing over an opened grate. “Down the stairs—hurry.” In the background, rising from somewhere over the city, you can hear a large crowd of people—a large crowd of people headed this way.
Once inside, a dusty passage carved from dark, red-stained rocks. Beneath the dust at their feet is an ornately tiled floor, and Kol Voss explains that these tunnels were once the only permissible way for the slaves of Arl to travel the city, though Arl hasn’t had slaves in over a hundred years. Kol Voss leads the PCs quickly through the passages, answering questions and talking about the recent events in Arl.
“Adril was dead,” Kol Voss says, “when he first came through; the pale woman carried his lifeless body in her arms. The next we saw him was the night he and some of my misguided rebel compatriots invaded Odrian’s estate, killed his household, and murdered Odrian. Adril took my sister, the Princess Verrish, as his new bride and has ruled the city as a tyrant since then. He’s run endless games in the Crimson Forum, slaughtering anyone who dared to speak out against him. His first victims were Odrian’s cabinet and city council and he’s since moved on to petty criminals and anyone who displeases him. Today he has several of my most trusted lieutenants in there and I plan to get them back.”
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So why would they assume we are gods?
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So as I understand what you have said, you have decided to oppose the tyrant but you waited until the most predictable time and when he has your most loyal allies as hostages. {sigh} You are very lucky we are pursuing Adril. I wouldn't have give too much on your chances without us.
Do you have maps of his probable locations? What can you tell us about the 'pale woman' and any other confederates he has with him?
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Now Lavode, don't be harsh, it can be difficult to know when to act in such circumstances. It's easy to second guess decisions that are made, but unless you are in the circumstances yourself, you don't know how you would have reacted.
We are at your service Kol Voss. What do we need to do? Boswick tries to reassure the new ally.
Looking around, we've found a piece of the puzzle in finding out what happened when Adril's body disappeared, and where it was taken. But we have a new mystery, the identity of this henchwoman? But at least we have locate him at last, we should strike quickly!