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"Thank you Krella for the information. We'll be careful."
As they prepare to head out, Sulana double-checks the mission briefing. "Two missions left; helping the Muckmouth or stopping the duegar in Slave Mountain. I think we should head for Slave Mountain; who knows what might happen if that ritual is completed."
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The next tapestry portal immediately leads you into another dark natural stone cave. Dim light by sporadic gemstones emanate dim light in a 20ft radius around them. The ceilings are approximately 20 feet high. Incoherent murmurs and groans echo through this large, dark cave. Tall stalagmites emerge from the cave floor surrounded by shallow pools of water. Ahead, a dim purplish light emanating from a multifaceted black gemstone the size of a human skull illuminates several humanoid forms heaped around the stone.
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Thirteen captives—a mix of ratfolk, wayangs, and dwarves—lie around the gemstone. Surrounding them, several dull skinned dwarf looking humanoids holding warhammers seem to be standing guard while one of them seems to be attempting to use the gem to restore life into a dead dwarf. At this time, though they realise your arrival, they seem to pay no attention to you and watch your movements very closely.
[
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Flexing rushes forward not caring for the light conditions, his eyes the result of thousands of years of evolution making darkness not an issue to him. He brings both shields up and locks them into a unified position, creating an extra large barrier. Not quite close enough to charge he waits and sees what the enemy will do. In common he calls back, "Dreugar! The hated evil of my kind. I'll keep us safe, just be careful if you move beyond me!"
He then turns and calls to the dreugar in Dwarven. "Oh pitiable cousins. You're out numbered. Just lay down your weapons and we'll garuntee your lives! Maybe even properly revive your fallen comrade?"
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The repair teams have patched the rift at Round Mountain. Be on the lookout! Before closing the rift, the team glimpsed a mysterious sailing vessel lurking in the Astral Plane. Round Mountain is secured!
In addition, the repair teams have patched the rift at Slave Mountain. Many slaves are now free, and they have pledged their aid! Slave Mountain is also secured!
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It becomes evident that the creatures are more keen in completing the ritual at hand rather than your presences. However, when provoked by your intervention, they turn around and fight in a defensive manner in hopes that the ritual can continue. Luckily, troves of Pathfinder agents come to assist and easily outnumber and overcome to the Duergar forces. The slaves seem to be extremely terrified of the encounter. There seem there's more to learn here.
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Sulana lowers her bow as the fight concludes. Nodding to the new Pathfinders, she says, ”Thank you for the assistance.”
She glances at the slaves, but her previous experiences have taught her that she’s not the most reassuring person. Better leave helping them to someone better suited to it. Instead she takes a looks around to see if she can learn anything about the ritual’s purpose.
”What the hell? Did anyone else see that?” Sulana gestures to the gem. ”My reflection...it wasn’t right. I looked like...I don’t know. Purple with fangs. A little like a corpse.” She steps back, eying the gem warily.
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Flexing takes a closer look at the slaves and sees if he can do anything to help.
After cutting the poor people out of their chains and bonds, Flexing takes a good look at their wounds, bandaging anything bleeding and seeing if he can get a healer for anything worse.
After a bit with the people he comes back, a slightly worried look on his face. "The people back there were talking about having terrible nightmares. Oh and some sort of witch making deals with the dreugar. I don't like the sounds of that."
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Aram Zey stands once more before the tapestry, a renewed light in his sunken eyes. “The Hao Jin Tapestry is stable at last. While you were performing your duties, I have reached a better understanding of the chaos you faced. The tapestry is still in dire condition. Lacking Hao Jin’s own magic, the tapestry has been using small pieces of departing souls to maintain itself over the centuries. This mechanism is depleting the tapestry’s water sources and spawning undead horrors. However, thanks to you, we have time to search for a more permanent fix. For now, get some rest, and—”
The former Master of Spells staggers back as a three-foot tear down the center of the fabric gouts sudden flame. Pathfinder agents flock around him, scrambling to assess the damage. A vein pops out on his forehead, and he yells sharply, “Pathfinders! What have you done?” He cuts himself short, taking a deep breath and muttering to himself, “Keep it together. Don’t take it out on the agents.” Frowning, he returns his gaze to the tapestry, his eyes darting wildly across its surface. When he speaks again, his voice is low and determined, “This new rift is no accident. Something is attacking the tapestry from the Astral Plane. Damage of this magnitude must have spawned hundreds more undead. Quickly, re-enter the demiplane and fend off the invaders!”
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When the gem destroyed by Lakadee, an otherworldly scream of rage echoes through the cavern. Simultaneously, wisp of light travels from the broken pieces and seemingly flows into the injured and afflicted humanoids that lie about. The colour returns to their faces, however they still seem somewhat weak.
~~~
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Flexing gives a wide eyed look at the gem as the tree starts pounding on it. "Are you sure we don't want to examine that furt... Nevermind!" He stops as the gem shatters and the people under his care noticeably seem to be feeling better. "If it was that dangerous of an item then it wasn't worth keeping intact! Good call, Vina!"
He gives a look around the area, and notices both the undead and astral beings. Though his eyes seem to narrow in on the astral invaders more. "The undead are being caused by the astral invaders, right? Seems to me it'd be better to take care of them first and then sweep up the undead. Let's go get those bastards! ... Also Reznor's got it right. Astral things are much more exciting than your mundane undead..."
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Following the legions of Pathfinders before you, the group hastily makes their way to the last known location of the invasion. A gaping hole mars the sky of the tapestry. Beyond the rift, dozens of strange vessels float in the Astral Plane, crawling with invaders. Every surface of the tapestry realm stretches and tears as it tries to repair itself, creating more rifts in a slow but devastating chain reaction. The vessels deploy invaders to wreak havoc as the demiplane disintegrates.
Reports soon begin to come in, several sites, from which a few sound familiar to you are under attack! The Pagoda of the Rat, the garden of the temple, and a set of ancient ruins down at the dessert.
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As you arrive at the temple, the residents seem to be safe barricading themselves inside the buidling. But this doesn't stop the enemy from attempting to throw open the entrances to ransack the temple.
Aram Zey’s voice carries through the tapestry. “I wish I could say I’m surprised that pirates would strike at a time like this. But there are always forces lurking in the shadows looking to take advantage of weakness. Don’t let them get away with it.”
Immediately catching your attention by one of the entrance are two dwarf humanoid beings with flames dancing at their fingertips, each of them carry a wicked spear. By a nearby door, another dwarf humanoid, but more engulfed by the fire as the flames cover this dwarf’s hands and smoke rises from his closely cropped, singed beard.
[
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Sulana's eyes narrow. Pirates taking advantage of a disaster to pillage and loot what they could. Monsters. Scum. Aram Zey didn't need to give her any instructions; she has no intention of letting them get away with it.
She doesn't need to move. It's one of the reasons she's always loved archery. No matter how far away her enemy is, she can reach them with a well-placed arrow.
She carefully aims at the dwarf that appears to be the leader, and fires.
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Flexing gives a small spurt of shock as he notices that the people raiding the temple, the loathsome pirates that the group is supposed to stop, are dwarfs. He gives a low growl as he realizes that they are trying to raid the place. He leaps forward, dodging around the well and getting in as close as he can with one of the dwarfs as possible. As he advances he starts calling. "Oi, my brethren! What are you doing here? Raiding a temple like some crass pirates! What would Torag think of your actions? Folgrit or Angradd? Don't follow the path of Droskar! There's no honor on that path."
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The shield is unable to recognize what kind of caster the chief invader is, but he realizes the lesser dwarfs (not of this plane) are druids, whom specialize in the fire elemental, (mostly fire spells) likely from due to their origins, a fiery dimension.
Cassiopia knocks one of the invaders off his feet through an intrusion of the mind. Meanwhile, the two lesser beings turn their attention to the Flexing shield and harasses him with their spears.
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Sulana's lips twitch upward as the leader falls. She doesn't enjoy killing, but there's still pride in a well-placed shot.
Speaking of well-placed shots...
She shifts her attention to the other two. Seeing Reznor fire at the dwarf in front, she focuses her attention on him as well. A combination of ranged attacks and melee from their frontliners should be more than enough to take care of these pests.