
GMEuan |

People seem agreeable to trying the vault.
It’s just after lunch by the time you get free of Martella’s ministrations - but you must admit, you do not look like each other, er, or yourselves. You still look well to do, your gear certainly sets you aside as nobles for sure, and Martella has played into that. But, with the coronation planned in just a few days, the city streets are thronging with Taldan nobles, all trying to get in to see the boy prince take the emperor's throne.
You head out to the high church of Abadar. The city streets are in fact full of people! There’s a celebratory mood in town as people are coming to grips with the idea there will be no civil war. They don’t know the new emperor, but surely he can’t be that bad. Not as bad as a war anyway. So the people, they are celebrating.
You enter the church and speak to some nominal functionary, who eventually takes you to someone more senior. They examine your key, and ask you to wait in one of their viewing rooms while they get the box - assuming it’s still ensconced within. The room isn’t really designed for so many people and a war dog, but you manage to cram in there.
The woman returns, carrying a vault box. Not as large as perhaps you’d hoped, it seems even smaller compared to the party eagerly anticipating its opening. She turns her key in the lock, motions for you to do the same, and then leaves you in privacy to open the box.
Though small, the locker is packed full of gems (17,855gp), platinum pieces (5,520pp), and a rod of splendor. Not too shabby.
You check the box carefully but other than the treasure hoard, there is nothing there.
Do you put anything into the vault? You can keep the key for a pittance and come back to get it later.

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |

Kort reluctantly agrees to go after the Abadaran vault. He's not sure it will be helpful, but also doesn't have any better ideas at the moment. As he walks around, he tries to avoid limping or favoring his knees, an effort that will probably fail over time. But he tries.
He doesn't feel the need to claim anything from the box, nor does he place anything inside for later.
He shrugs, not sure what else they had hoped to find.
"Shall we get to the real thing? Let's go see if the ring works."

Muri Daybreaker |

Muri frowns, as their investigation results in mundane wealth and ostentatious stick. "Nothing damning. Ok, let's head out." The halfling commits some bits of their visit within the halls of the Vault to memory, should he ever decide to keep things safely locked away. He doesn't take advantage of the opened box and key in their possession, figuring they have bigger fish to fry at present.
"From the Courtyard, do we need any special magics to slip into the Throne Room? What kind of safeguards does the Palace have for that kind of sneaking?"

GMEuan |

You return to Martella’s safe house, perhaps a little dejected, but even wealthier. She touches up your disguises a bit, and you are joined by the Princess. ”Ready?”
The Princess, carefully disguised with Her own sleeves of many garments, leads you into town and along a long nondescript wall near the Palace. In one corner, She hesitates - doing the equivalent of tying Her shoes - until the area clears of passers by. Then, quickly, She revolves a brick high on the wall which gives way revealing a dark passage.
You slip within.
There are a number of twists and turns, a few golems, and several nasty traps - all of which the Princess disarms with a password, a small trinket, or other trick known only to the ruling family - and now you. Eventually, you come to a normal, but quite ornate, door and the Princess hesitates.
”Beyond this door is a courtyard, deep in the heart of the Palace. From the far side of the courtyard, you’ll be just a few dozen feet from the Throne, and even closer to the antechambers behind it. If Our brother is anywhere, he’ll be there.”
She turns a somber face to you, ”Please free him from his travesty. If he can be saved, all the better - but do not let him continue like this.” She opens the door… and does not follow you.
How do you cross the courtyard, and what do you do on the other side? It’s a large garden courtyard, overlooked by a walkway on one side, and a few towers, some with high windows overlooking the tranquil place. So lots of possible eyeballs. However, the palace is swarming with nobles, so perhaps you won’t be seen as unusual - at least not right away.

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |

Kort slips within, following the Princess' lead. He tries to memorize the path, the passwords, and anything else in case he needs to escape, or to return on this route again.
"We will do our best, Princess. Do we want to try the ring before we go any further? Might be nice to see if we are close enough now?" Kort looks at the ringbearer, hoping that something might be easy.
"In any case, we should not proceed until the Princess is gone and safe from this area. You are too valuable to be risked here, now," Kort says to the Princess, not willing to risk her life when his own should be risked first.

Muri Daybreaker |

”I like that idea.” Muri dismounts, preparing for a restrained leisurely stroll across the Royal Grounds, expecting to be barked at should an informed guard put two and two together.
”I also like that were so direct. Hopefully the Prince thinks he’s running us to ground well outside Oppara.”

GMEuan |
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Major Kort asks the Princess to depart. She hesitates, wanting to stay close, as if somehow she could help… But in the end she shrugs, and disappear back down the hall.
Edelmira takes out the ring, and nothing. Just as before. You’re not close enough.
So, you make your way crisply across the courtyard in staggered groups of one and two as Elen suggested. You meet up in a shady spot along the wall’s edge. No one cries out, or really seems to have noticed you at all - perhaps due to fewer guards available. After all, this courtyard seems unguarded. No direct access to the throne room, but still.
Edelmira takes out the ring again, and this time it thrums with power - sensing the nearby soul. She activates it, and a door forms on the wall. A door into the Prince’s very soul. As you enter the door, the physical world fades into a white mist.
When the mist clears, the view has changed.
Instead of a landscape of marble and sculpted topiary, you see a gorgeous replica of the throne room of Taldor. You appear in the great hall, nearer the throne than the stairs leading into this vast chamber. Continual flames set in the floor as well as ceiling provide light, as do the many windows - though you can see nothing through them but the white mist.
On the throne in the north end of the room, a human-sized rag doll sits on an extraordinary throne, his body and clothes stitched together from several sources and bound together with six distinct chains. He looks unnervingly frail, but perhaps the chains are merely binding him, and not holding him together. You’re not so sure.
There are also six doors near the throne and each are connected to the chains on Carrius.
From what the smarter folk can determine, this is indeed Prince Carrius’s soul. However, he’s so overwhelmed by forces beyond his control, he scarcely notices your appearance. He does sort of shift in his chair and, with milky white buttons, glance in your direction, unseeing. Then he twitches the other way and stares at the wall a time - as if listening to an unseen advisor.
The six doors are distinctive.
Fire Door
This red marble door is engraved with leaping flames.
Sword Door
This iron door is set with a curved scimitar, its blade wet and dripping with blood.
Harbor Door
This blue marble door is engraved with a three-masted ship in full sail.
Whispering Door
This white marble door is engraved with a hooded figure whispering into another man’s ear.
Crown Door
This steel door is set with an inverted ruby crown.
Lion Door
This golden door is engraved with a rampant lion.
New map up. Imagine the six smaller windows just around the throne are doors please.
We’re not in rounds, feel free to do as you wish - and let me know of any prep spells you might wish to cast at this time, if you haven’t already.

Muri Daybreaker |

Muri is overwhelmed with it all. The six doors, the poor ragdoll, the feeling that they shouldn't be here at all, however short a time they've already been standing here.
"This is bad. That magic to step inside someone like this, it's bad." Muri doesn't immediately coax Underfoot forward, but Underfoot at least patrols the Hall so that she and he might get a better look at each of the Doors.
When they return to the side of the others, Muri looks to the wiser among them. "Can we connect Doors to Souls? Will it really matter what order we take them?"
The halfling and hound are ready for whatever Door is selected. He fidgets with his Ring, wondering what lies ahead.

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |

"6 chains. 6 doors. If we are going to free the Prince's soul, we should note that connection," Kort says stiffly as he looks around.
1d20 + 27 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 27 + 2 = 31 Perception
And also, he gazes at the situation hoping for an insight above whatever mortal coil might be lacking coffee this morning:
1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24 Int check What might a really smart person deduce from all this?
If nothing seems weird, he will move to the red marble door and examine it:
1d20 + 27 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 27 + 2 = 38 Perception

Kamari |

Kamari casts shield on herself from her wand and peers around. Then she moves up and observes Prince Carrius from a safe distance to see how the chains are bound to him. It's unlikely that he could be simply unlocked, but she looks anyway.
"Might it be possible to sunder the chains to free him?"
She stares and contemplates.
"Of course, the other souls are such a part of him that he might not be anything without them. Maybe he needs to integrate or control them rather than be controlled or bound by them."
Kamari finds herself rambling and stops.

GMEuan |

Muri and Elen examine the doors, and even manage to link the names from heraldry, through study and effort. It takes a little time however to piece the pieces together - perhaps a half hour.
Fire Door: This red marble door is engraved with leaping flames. It leads to the sixth legend, Stavian I.
Sword Door: This iron door is set with a curved scimitar, its blade wet and dripping with blood. It leads to the fifth legend, Emperor Gennaris III.
Harbor Door: This blue marble door is engraved with a three-masted ship in full sail. It leads to the second legend, Cyricas.
Whispering Door: This white marble door is engraved with a hooded figure whispering into another man’s ear. It leads to the fourth legend, Beldam I.
Crown Door: This steel door is set with an inverted ruby crown. It leads to the third legend, Emperor Daronlyr the Overthrower.
Lion Door: This golden door is engraved with a rampant lion. It leads to the first legend, the spirit of First Emperor Taldaris.
Major Kort walks up to the red door and gets close enough to touch it, though he refrains from doing so for now. The red marble door glows from within and is warm to the touch. On its surface is engraved a vista of leaping flames. Tormented faces hidden within the flames stare out from the door with despairing eyes.
Kamari knows you are in Prince Carrius’s soul. So it is hard to say what might happen if you start breaking things here, but you suspect it wouldn’t be good - unless it’s what you’re supposed to do of course. It really should have come with a manual. Not even Major Kort's keen intellect provides any additional clues.

Kamari |

Kamari looks around for a manual, an arrow, a trail of breadcrumbs...
Kamari walks up to the Lion Door.
"Taldaris? If this represents his soul, how is it connected since we've freed him?"
Unless someone has any better ideas, "I'm guessing we'll have to enter the door to learn more. At least with Taldaris we have some of concept of what he's like more than the history books. Shall we start here?"

GMEuan |

Kamari recalls that the soul-stuff that was used to make Carrius was from their astrological signs in the astral plane.
So likely very much separated from the person they met. That said, there will certainly be similarities too...

Mallë-o i Otos Elen |

Tormented faces hidden within the flames stare out from the door with despairing eyes.
”Well one thing for certain, this in general is no place to die,” remarks Elen.
She nods in agreement to go through the Lion's Gate.
She passes through with the others 10 feet up if possible.

GMEuan |

This arched door seems worked from solid gold. In the center of the door, the image of a lion rears on its hind legs, its mouth open in a silent roar.
You open the Lion door and you get a brief flash of the white mist again.
You briefly catch an image in your minds - golden fields of wheat, rippled by the wind into ocean-like waves, extend as far as the eye can see, until they meet majestic mountains at the horizon. Bone-white ruins jut haphazardly from the landscape. A heroic figure stands atop a broken column, stark against the endless sunset.
Then your vision clears and you see Taldaris standing in the great hall of the throne room, leaning over Carrius and whispering advice into his ear.
While the you have met the original Taldaris - a far older, wiser, and more humble man than ever ruled Taldor - the figure here is Taldaris as his empire remembers him: cunning, fearless, strong, and above all dedicated to Taldor’s dominion over the world.
As you appear in the room, he broods aloud, “In a single lifetime, I forged squabbling children into an empire of men. And this is what you’ve done with my legacy. Entitled, foppish, soft little children once again, squabbling and sniping.”
”Taldor needs me now even more than she did before her birth. And I intend to remain, no matter the cost.” As he finishes speaking, an elephant-sized lion stalks impossibly from behind the throne, its six eyes and golden mane glowing in the sunlight.
Tales of Taldor’s earliest founding speak of a terrible beast - a gigantic six-eyed lion whose mane burned like the sun and whose footsteps shook the earth - that laid waste to the desperate city-states of the region, feeding on their livestock and plundering their wealth to line its den. Called the grogrisant, it terrorized the region for centuries until First Emperor Taldaris finally slew the terrible beast.
Sometimes called the Imperial Beast, the grogrisant has reappeared occasionally throughout Taldor’s history, always in times of great peril and always to eventually be slain by a hero of the people - but only after slaughtering many more who would lay claim to that title. No one is certain if the grogrisant is part of a rare race of mythical leonine beasts that hide within the World’s Edge Mountains or if it is simply a lone beast that refuses to die; mythic magic conceals its tracks and hides it from divinations, leaving its life and lair a mystery.
The grogrisant’s pelt amplifies sunlight, creating a deadly blaze of light that burns out the eyes of those nearby and renders the beast nothing but a barely perceptible shimmer to distant creatures. Taldan folklore insists the beast’s blood can cure any disease.
The grogrisant stands 18 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs 12,000 pounds.
- - -
Also...
Blazing Mane (Su) When in an area of normal or brighter light, the grogrisant’s golden mane blazes like the sun. Creatures more than 60 feet away treat the beast as having total concealment due to the dazzling brilliance, and any creature within 60 feet that looks at the grogrisant must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save or be permanently blinded. Creatures can avert their eyes as if this were a gaze attack.
- Round 1 -
Kamari - 26
Edelmira - 23
Elen - 10
Major Kort - 9
Emperor Taldaris - 5
Muri - 4
Elen: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10
Kamari: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26
Major Kort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Muri: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Good Folk: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (5) + 0 = 5
• First up Kamari, Edelmira, Elen, Major Kort
NOTE: You may try to reason with Emperor Taldaris. However, it is a standard action to do so, and requires a diplomacy check to support the attempt - though I’ll be looking more at the words than the roll. Going this route will likely take several successes, but anyone can make the attempt if they have a good argument.

Kamari |
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Round 1, AC 38 with shield, wearing smoked goggles
Kamari pulls out her very stylish smoke goggles and puts them on while offering some words for the bit of stardust with delusions of being Taldaris.
"Will you remain if the cost is Taldor? Would you put yourself before the country?"
diplomacy: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (14) + 29 = 43
MIght be more than Kamari can do with a standard action, so she's more focused on the goggles if she needs to choose between them since she doesn't expect this to go well.

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

"In a single lifetime, I forged squabbling children into an empire of men. And this is what you’ve done with my legacy. Entitled, foppish, soft little children once again, squabbling and sniping.”
Kort nods, conceding the point to the entirely imaginary being.
He looks at the lion, hoping that something sparks in his mind.
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 30 + 2 + (4) + 4 = 58 Know (Arcana) DRs? Special attacks? Resistances? Any fun weaknesses? Like afraid of mice? And, if so, where is Zzvkgrogk when we need them?
Round 1
Kort will speak what he knows of the lion, even as he lets Kamari's excellent words speak for the party. If they can avoid a fight with this lion, that would be for the best.
"Yeah."
1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 5 + 2 = 21 Diplo to aid

GMEuan |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |

DR 10/epic and piercing
Mythic Power - which I will not use or apply since I don't do mythic.
Immune disease, fire, light effects, poison; Resist acid 10, electricity 10
Also, aiding another does nothing in this context. I’m looking for reasoned arguments more than rolls. So if you want to try reasoning with the Taldan Emperor, please do. Otherwise, you still have a standard action. :)
Oh! And no known weaknesses, not even a nice evening by the fire in ones slippers, gnoshing on adventurers...
- - -

The Night Swan |
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The Night Swan scoffs at the quasi-resurrected first Emperor.
”Oh please. We all know who you are, so you can stop the posturing. We have all spent our entire lives listening to people invoking your name to justify more taxes, less taxes; more rights for the poor, less rights for the poor; more laws, less laws. Your name has appeared on documents marrying people who loathe each other, promoting the cruelest and least competent among us, on deeds for land stolen from its inhabitants. It’s all you, First Emperor. You see, we do not get to decide our legacies, not even you, and that legacy is all that’s left of you. You aren’t even human anymore in the afterlife. We met you. You are more concept than person now. This shade of you here is just the leftovers, the bits that didn’t fit into a body of shiny metal. And which bits are left? What is there underneath the legend? I don’t think you want the answer, but I give a rat’s piss what you want, so I will tell you anyways.
You really are the same as every other conqueror: you expanded nothing except lines on pieces of paper and built nothing but piles of corpses. You are a murderer who killed enough people that those who are left gave up on stopping you. You are a tyrant who managed to get them to build some statues that would last long enough that people would forget the blood soaked into their masonry.
Go back to sleep and leave the living alone to mourn the freedom we lost to your vanity.”
Diplomacy (heroism): 1d20 + 28 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 28 + 2 = 31
Hero Point Reroll: 1d20 + 28 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 28 + 2 = 50
She does not expect him to give a damn about anything she says, so she prepares for battle to be joined, entering her battle stance and adjusting her tactics to account for the grogrisant. Entering Snake Style as a swift and using martial flexibility to pick up Blind Fight
Snake Style (heroism): 1d20 + 24 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 24 + 2 = 39

Mallë-o i Otos Elen |
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Elen speaks, eyes closed, but desperately wanting to make eye contact. ”You have been used, Taldaris – or at least that little part of your soul that is this unholy facsimile before us representing Taldiaris – has been used. Think, Little Bit of Taldaris – do you honestly feel whole, or are there bits in here besides us that you don’t at all identify with? Most of the children you refer too are gone by our hand, and there is but one true heir left defined by a more complete Taldaris on Axis. You are being manipulated, but we can help aided by your spirit! Tell us how to free you so that you can become one with the rest of your soul! The true heir should be free to make their own choice!”
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 26 + 4 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 26 + 4 + 1 + 1 = 43 +Inner Beauty, +Ioun Stone, +Luck Stone

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |

Round 1
Kort casts Communal Stone Skin and touche the party before moving back some, after explaining about the lion.
150 hp of stoneskin each, taken in 10 hp increments. Lasts about 1/2 each. Plz track your own skin.
hp: 157/157
AC: 27/18t/22ff +5 NA with barkskin
Saves: F11/R17/W16 +4 vs. enchantment, +2 vs. illusions +6 vs. poison, evasion
Lowlight. PBS.
Movement: 60' typically flying 5' up off the ground in dungeons.
Aroden's Verve: 0/10 used
Adhere to the Law: 0/4 used
Extend Rods: 1/6 used (magiccirc)
Lsr Extend Rods: 3/3 used (seeinv,heroism*2)
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Staff of Courage: 0/0
Boots of Speed: 0/10
0: (create water, detect magic/poison, light, stabilize,read magic)
1: 0/11 used (CLW*0,Shield*0,PfE*0,DF*0)
2: 1/11 used (Inv*0,RE*1,*CE*0,SInv*0,LesRest*0)
3: 4/11 used (H*2,DM*0,DayBreakArrow*1, MCaE10'*1)
4: 0/8 used (GrInv*0,CCW*0,FoM*0,StoneSkin*0)
5: 0/8 used (CLWM*0,FlStr*0,TruSee*0,MassStoneskin*0)
6: 0/4 used (Heal, LegendLore,GrDispel)
Kort's usual protections: Ext See Invisibility (340 min), extended Heroism on himself and Kamari (340 min), Ext Magic Circle Against Evil 10' (340 min). Daybreak Arrows (170 min), Resist Fire 30.
[ spoiler=Daybreak Bolts]Creatures that take penalties in bright light take these penalties for 1 round after being struck by such ammunition. Undead and creatures harmed by sunlight take an additional 1d6 points of damage from such projectiles. This extra damage and half of any other damage you deal with an affected projectile results directly from radiant energy and is not subject to damage resistance. Such a projectile sheds light as if it were a sunrod for 1 round after it is fired or thrown.[ /spoiler]
Cane:
[ dice]1d20+8[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6-1[/dice] damage.
Dignity's Barb (crit on 16+):
[ dice]1d20+19+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism)
1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 1 = 10 magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+19+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism)
1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7 magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+14+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism)
1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 4 + 1 = 6 magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
[ dice]1d20+7+2+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS,+heroism)
1d8 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 1 = 12 magic cold iron damage; (clustered)
Bolts: 33/50 cold iron
1d20 + 15 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 15 + 2 + 1 = 25 touch to hit; (heroism,PBP)
4d6 + 1 ⇒ (1, 2, 2, 1) + 1 = 7 fire damage
24/50 left.
150 hp of stoneskin each, taken in 10 hp increments. Lasts about 1/2 each. Plz track your own skin.

GMEuan |
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"Will you remain if the cost is Taldor? Would you put yourself before the country?"
”I am the country!” Taldaris shouts, though he trails off a little at the end, in thought. He’s not beyond reason after all. When you met him he was quite reasonable, but this is his boisterous youthful self - a little harder to break through.
”Oh please…”
Impressive clergyman stuff here!
”Go back to sleep and leave the living alone to mourn the freedom we lost to your vanity.”
”How dare you!” he grows positively purple with rage… which only proves your point in many ways. Which does give him pause, ”You do not understand what the world was like then. Enemies of Taldor all around, and little depth to call upon in her time of need! I had to do those things, or there would be no Taldor!”
Elen speaks, eyes closed, but desperately wanting to make eye contact. ”You have been used, Taldaris – or at least that little part of your soul that is this unholy facsimile before us representing Taldiaris – has been used. Think, Little Bit of Taldaris – do you honestly feel whole, or are there bits in here besides us that you don’t at all identify with? Most of the children you refer too are gone by our hand, and there is but one true heir left defined by a more complete Taldaris on Axis. You are being manipulated, but we can help aided by your spirit! Tell us how to free you so that you can become one with the rest of your soul! The true heir should be free to make their own choice!”
”The true heir should listen to his betters.” he says somewhat lamely… and he knows it. ”But perhaps I am not that.” he hesitates.
Kort casts Communal Stone Skin and touches the party before moving back some, after explaining about the lion.
”That will not be necessary Major.” Taldaris holds up his hand and the grogrisant stands down (though you can still be blinded if you close…).
He sheathes his +4 flaming burst holy greatsword, and sits heavily on the stairs before the throne.
“Your words ring true to my ears. Taldor was a dream I strove toward, but perhaps that means I am still asleep. The world I knew is the one that needed me, and the world you hold now is one with very different needs. May the gods speed you on your way.”
He looks wearily to the rag-doll that is Carrius, ”The boy cannot survive without us to bolster him. Half a life is no life at all…” and he fades away.
Or is it you that fade away? For an eye blink later and you find yourselves in the main chamber once again - no Taldaris. No grogrisant. The Lion door you just stepped through is now a window once again, and there is one fewer chain on the doll - who seems somewhat more cognizant, but still not to the point of communication.
What door do you try next?
(Yes, the stoneskin is still active... Well done!)

Muri Daybreaker |

Muri slumps into his saddle, relieved that more words are unnecessary, the impact of his companions' powerful enough to ease the aggression of the First Legend.
The halfling directs the hound to the blue marble door, gateway to their next encounter, with the Second Legend, Cyricas.
"Do you think they'll all be... reasonable?"

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |

Kort blinks away the image, not liking the rules in this un-reality, but willing to keep going.
"We can hope so, Muri," Kort says stiffly and getting ready for more and stranger things. "That was the easy one. We'll see what comes next."
Kort nods to Kamari and is ready for the blue door.

GMEuan |

This narrow, rectangular door is cut from blue variegated marble. The top of the door is very pale, almost white, darkening to deep azure blue near the floor. Engraved into the door is an image of a three-masted ship.
You open the door.
As before, there’s a whiff of a foreign land. A dense jungle stretches out beyond the door. Trees loom overhead, draped with brilliant green, while stifling humidity and buzzing insects fill the air. The cries of tropical birds echo in the distance. The drone of insects form a constant backdrop, and bright-colored flowers peek through the foliage.
…and then the world snaps back into view and you find yourself back in the throne room, but in the domain of Cyricas, an explorer who led many expeditions to foreign nations and is renowned for his mind-over-matter dogma that he claims helped him conquer childhood illness and achieve greatness.
In his time, he conquered many of Taldor’s holdings in the Mwangi Expanse before he met his death at the hands of the Gorilla King. Though his body was never returned to Taldor, he was remembered as a bold explorer who brought wealth and natural resources to the nation.
Cyricas’s legend reflects his myth, that of a Taldan visitor swaggering among a new land with the grace and ease of any longtime resident. Despite his bravado, though, Cyricas is also remembered as one of Taldor’s kindest emperors.
Cyricas stands before the dais, crestfallen. A great Ape sits next to him almost, but not quite, grooming him. After a moment, he turns to face the group, and in a heavy tone says “I miss it dearly, you know - travel, adventure, the comforts of home. Life. And it’s simply not in my nature to give up on the things I want.” He turns back to look longingly at the throne once again, before turning his gaze more sternly on you.
In this encounter, you may make diplomacy checks as a standard action as before, but the dice count for more since you don’t have a connection with this spirit.
Oh, and no special knowledge check on the ape. He’s an animal companion, ape.
- Round 1 -
Muri - 20
Good Folks - 19
Edelmira - 16
Major Kort - 15
Kamari - 14
Elen - 9
Elen: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9
Kamari: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14
Major Kort: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Muri: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
Good Folk: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
• First up Muri!

Muri Daybreaker |

Round 1, Init 20
Muri
AC = 24
HP = 118/118
Weapon Equipped = Chaldira's Hand
Condition(s) = None
Underfoot
AC = 32
HP = 137/137
Weapon Equipped = Teef
Condition(s) = None
The halfling realizes that he has the first breath in response to the Second Legend. He looks back and forth, from Edelmira, to Kamari, to Elen, and finally to Kort. Only then does he turn back to Cyricas, and the Stern Gaze.
"...Noble... Cyricas. The people of Taldor remember you, and fondly. I know I will miss it, too, when I depart. When it's my time. I hope I can return to my family and my land, since I still have time. You do not, and you are being forced to remain here and guide someone else's hand in this life, not live it yourself. That feels cruel." Muri strokes Underfoot's nape, not quite grooming her, more of a self-soothing gesture.
"I've had enough adventure for a herd's lifetime. The memories will burn bright for awhile, but like all things, they'll cool like embers should. Passing on, to other planes, other ways of existence, sounds like a different kind of adventure. One that can be entirely your own. We're hoping that Prince Carrius can come back to us, and enjoy a full life of his own, with adventures that would make you proud."
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (11) + 19 = 30

GMEuan |

"...Noble... Cyricas. The people of Taldor remember you, and fondly. I know I will miss it, too, when I depart. When it's my time. I hope I can return to my family and my land, since I still have time. You do not, and you are being forced to remain here and guide someone else's hand in this life, not live it yourself. That feels cruel." Muri strokes Underfoot's nape, not quite grooming her, more of a self-soothing gesture.
"I've had enough adventure for a herd's lifetime. The memories will burn bright for awhile, but like all things, they'll cool like embers should. Passing on, to other planes, other ways of existence, sounds like a different kind of adventure. One that can be entirely your own. We're hoping that Prince Carrius can come back to us, and enjoy a full life of his own, with adventures that would make you proud."
”And who are you to make such claims at wisdom? My mind is my weapon, and with it I have overcome great odds from childhood sickness to the darkest depths of the Mwangi Expanse. I am an EMPEROR!”
Good start!
Emperor Cyricas gets up off the steps, still weaponless. He draws a potion and quaffs it. He steps off the dais and seems to speed up. His great ape, leaps forward, charging toward the party.
- Round 1 -
Edelmira - 16
Major Kort - 15
Kamari - 14
Elen - 9
- Round 2 -
Muri - 20
Emperor Cyricas - 19
Grape Ape - 19
• Next up - everyone!

Kamari |

Round 1, AC 38 with shield
Kamari pulls off her goggles and holds her ground with her rapier in her other hand while still trying to reason with the spirit.
"And is this what you want? You are not the emperor. You are only a hump carrying the spiritual load. You will not make any choices about where this boy goes or what he does."
diplomacy with panache: 1d20 + 29 + 1d6 ⇒ (11) + 29 + (2) = 42

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |
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Round 1
Kort moves back and casts Divine Favor, readying for the aping of a lifetime.
"Your mind is your weapon? Then I challenge you on mindful matters!" Kort responds to the Mwangi Emperor.
Knowledge Challenge, let him choose his area of expertise:
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 30 + 2 + (7) + 4 = 59 Know (Arcana)
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 30 + 2 + (7) + 4 = 61 Know (History)
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 30 + 2 + (7) + 4 = 51 Know (Local)
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 30 + 2 + (5) + 4 = 55 Know (Nature)
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 30 + 2 + (2) + 4 = 40 Know (Planes)
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 30 + 2 + (7) + 4 = 63 Know (Religion)

The Night Swan |

The Night Swan, emboldened by her success versus Taldaris, sees no reason to cease now. She remembers Cyricas as one of her favorites growing up, before she soured on the idea of emperors altogether. Rulers with good hearts are the most tragic to her, as empire and kindness are the most starcrossed of pairings. She decides to press that tension.
”You speak of travel, adventure, the comforts of home…why do you think you can find those here? If you chose to stay, you will be entering a civil war, and even if you finally win it, you will have to stay to cement your victory. Do you think these other emperors your soul is chained to will let you act with impunity? What adventures would they allow you, when most of your fellows lack your explorer’s spirit? This world is known now, and there are no more lands that are unmapped. But there are worlds other than this, worlds that only you in your death can see, worlds beyond anything you experienced here. Does that not excite you more than war and politics?”
Diplomacy (heroism): 1d20 + 28 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 28 + 2 = 32

Muri Daybreaker |

Round 2, Init 20
Muri
AC = 28
HP = 118/118
Weapon Equipped = Chaldira's Hand
Condition(s) = Total Defense
Underfoot
AC = 36
HP = 137/137
Weapon Equipped = Teef
Condition(s) = Total Defense
Muri doesn't speak further, only squeezes his heels a moment, signaling Underfoot to join him in firming their stance against the incoming ape.
Take Total Defense

GMEuan |

"And is this what you want? You are not the emperor. You are only a hump carrying the spiritual load. You will not make any choices about where this boy goes or what he does."
”Heed us and consider a modern path. We will destroy this nightmare if that is what it takes to free you from this outdated goal.”
The previous emperor laughs, ”Such hostility! It is true, I am no longer the emperor and, perhaps, an outdated shadow of my former self. But there are things I can teach the boy - wisdom I can impart!” he cries defensively.
"Your mind is your weapon? Then I challenge you on mindful matters!" Kort responds to the Mwangi Emperor.
”None of your arguments holds water old man. My power derives from power not the words in musty books. Your knowledge is all duplicative and scholarly. Could the scholars heal my disease? No. No they could not. I did it with my own powerful brain and went on to become emperor of Taldor. What have you done?” he calls back against the wave of knowledge imparted by the Major.
Still, under the weight of your arguments, cracks begin to form…
”You speak of travel, adventure, the comforts of home…why do you think you can find those here? If you chose to stay, you will be entering a civil war, and even if you finally win it, you will have to stay to cement your victory. Do you think these other emperors your soul is chained to will let you act with impunity? What adventures would they allow you, when most of your fellows lack your explorer’s spirit? This world is known now, and there are no more lands that are unmapped. But there are worlds other than this, worlds that only you in your death can see, worlds beyond anything you experienced here. Does that not excite you more than war and politics?”
”I am here out of something greater - duty. I could find what I desire elsewhere, perhaps even in the next world, but my duty is to Taldor!” However, his defense seems hollow in his voice, and he seems to be wavering.
Muri, sensing the way things are going, defends himself.
The ape closes with Kamari, leaping forward to grapple her to the ground!
Grapple: 1d20 + 24 ⇒ (16) + 24 = 40
Emperor Cyricas charges forth to join the fight (double move), and says nothing further (though diplomacy is still an option!).
- Round 2 -
Edelmira - 16
Major Kort - 15
Kamari - 14 (grappled)
Elen - 9
- Round 3 -
Muri - 20
Emperor Cyricas - 19
Grape Ape - 19 (grappled)
• Next up - everyone!

Mallë-o i Otos Elen |

Elen flits patiently in mid-air.
"CALL OFF YOUR APE! Your 'mind' is not wholly yours anymore! Sure, you used to be whole, but now there are other influences in there with you -- would you deny that? Consider this -- that your greatest aid to the boy at this point would be to let him go! Fighting will not accomplish anything. You have done all of the good that you can -- go now, and be at peace!"
Diplo Continued

Muri Daybreaker |
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Round 3, Init 20
Muri
AC = 28
HP = 118/118
Weapon Equipped = Chaldira's Hand
Condition(s) = Total Defense
Underfoot
AC = 36
HP = 137/137
Weapon Equipped = Teef
Condition(s) = Total Defense
With Kamari experiencing the embrace of the Second Legend's animal companion, Underfoot senses the likelihood that Cyricas might want to get close, also, so takes flight, wings lifting halfling and hound to the height of the Room.
Muri looks down from on high. "Cyricas the Kind. We respect you, all of what you did as Emperor. We don't want to fight. We will celebrate you. How you came to be a part of Prince Carrius, it was the plan of something called the Immaculate Circle. By remaining, you give them the power to corrupt Taldor. The greatest kindness here is sacrificing for others, restoring power to those with the most respect for the people of Taldor."

Major K'Aldrian Kort 1ATD, Ret. |

Round 2
”What have you done?”
”I think I’ve pointed out that you’re being limited by being shackled to a child, unable to realize you’re being used by forces more powerful than yourself, and you’re too blind to see how they are doing it…” Kort will explains the soul-stitching operation.
1d20 + 30 + 2 + 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 30 + 2 + (7) + 4 = 59 Know (Arcana/Religion)
Kort doesn’t want to shoot the ape companion, however unreal and imaginary it might be.

Kamari |

Round 2
Kamari attempts to slip away from the purple ape while others try to talk sense into the figment of an emperor.
escape artist plus Corset of the Vishkanya: 1d20 + 10 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 10 + 5 = 23
If you survive, you really should have a better trick up your sleeve for these situations.
Yeah. Yeah.