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"I wouldn't want to speak for Hao Jin, but I am sure we can make arrangements within the Pathfinder Society to allow you to explore the tapestry, assuming it has been repaired, that might help inspire even more creations in the future. One possibility we spoke of was to also return the inhabitants back to the prime material plane. Think of all the new places you could explore to the same ends." Pooka tries to be helpful.
Your arguments seem to have swayed The Maker slightly. She doesn't seem to be ready to hand over the engram quite yet though.
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"Greetings, Maker." Nugats extends a hand in between the two on the left, not sure which one to shake. "I am Nugats. You seem to have lots of interesting statues in this garden. Did you make them yourself? I am sure someone that is named The Maker surely made these."
Nugats walks over and places a hand upon one of the statues. "Maker, I am like you. I see piece of metal, shapeless, formless, and can see what it can become. I see the tongues of flames licking up to the sky, and can change it to whirling dervishes of acid. I can see the coldest chunk of ice, and make it into sound waves.
"Yet, there is something we might not see. Deep inside that chunk of ice might live an ice worm, laying its eggs to propagate its noble line. When I change that ice chunk, I am also changing that ice worms destiny.
"Hao Jin build the tapestry, a demiplane unto itself. But thousands of lives live there. Perhaps more.
"Without our aid, not only does the beautiful creation die, but lives are lost. No to mention metaphysical ramifications."
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I wish there was more I could do to help draw you to our cause. I am a simple man...my skills are more of a physical nature, and not of the constructive and transformative nature. I can craft a snare or an alarm. Allow me to humbly demonstrate... Rallas says as he gets out his twine and assorted gears to show his work.
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Shel gathered herself. Her words didn’t have the usual effect. She needed to try again. ”You know the power of Hao Jin so I assume you know how important a task to aid her must be. As mentioned earlier, once the tapestry is repaired, I’d imagine she would once again let you borrow the engram.”
Diplomacy
Collectively you manage to provide enough convincing that The Maker reaches up and removes the engram from where it nestles at the base of her neck. She extends her hand out, holding the small object.
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Yanndu sees Hao Jin, hair a deep red and appearing younger than when you met her in person as she quietly watches a young man working at a loom. As the man’s hands flicker over the threads and slowly weave a tapestry into being, a smile creases Hao Jin’s face and her own fingers begin to mimic the young man’s movements while trailing glimmering lines of eldritch energy. Hao Jin watches carefully, her fingers moving in measured cadences. As the light dims, Hao Jin leaves, but she returns again, and again. Yanndu experiences months of Hao Jin’s careful study of the tapestry weaver, and feel the mental weight of innumerable calculations as Hao Jin plans her own magnificent tapestry.
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Nodding to the group as he realizes they have experienced the same visions he did, Yanndu asks, "One more engram to go, I believe. I am able to continue these efforts today, and do not require meditation yet. Shall we proceed to the Stylite? Can some of you gather information with the populace to find out if there exists some transport services to this building which is floating several miles away into the sky?"
With a little sleuthing and questioning you establish that the next engram is inside The The Stylite. This is a vast library that drifts above the city of Axis in mysterious patterns like a stone cloud. You find the nearest travel portal with little difficulty and are whisked up to it.
A large open plaza comprised of octagonal, glossy black flagstones sits between a small, colonnaded building on one side and the dizzying vista of the Eternal City on the other. The wind whistles sharply over the drop down to the city thousands of feet below. From this vantage point, nearly all the major sites of Axis are spread out below like a pristinely-ordered painting: the tower of the Adamantine Crucible, alight in blue flame, the Grand Market of Abadar near the concentric circles of the golden city of Aktun, the nearly two-thousand-foot-tall Citadel of Resplendent Clockwork that serves as Brigh’s domain, the crystalline Threefold Pillars of the Axiomite Godmind aglow with infinite calculations, and Pharasma’s Spire behind it all, stretching up, seemingly infinite, all the way into the Astral Plane.
Besides the colonnaded building and the travel portal the square is basically bare and looks like it does not see many visitors.
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Yanndu is speechless (even more so than usual) upon witnessing the vistas before him. Such heights! Such perspective! The architect of this floating island must have been an impressive being indeed.
After taking several minutes of observing Axis and the Boneyard Spire, Yanndu touches the ground, concentrates, and looks for residual psychic signatures.
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Nugats thinks back to his conversation with Hao Jin. Another engram contains elements of my client’s magical theory, and it is in the Stylite. The arbiter winces and looks skyward before pointing to a floating building miles away. There. You should just be able to present your credentials and be done.
Friends, I believe that we just have to present our credentials. TO whom, I am not sure. Where, I have not a clue. Are my credentials worthy enough, not a chance. But where is the fun in adventure if you don't hit a stumbling block or ten? Right?" he takes in the vista enjoying the trills of the heights.
Yanndu feels the pull of another Engram from within the building.
Heading inside the colonnaded building, you find yourselves in a large, semi-circular entrance hall supported by more columns and decorated with a large floor mosaic depicting geometric symbols. Numerous colored balls of light illuminate the room, floating about at random, and a single desk has been placed in the middle of the entrance hall. At it sits a wizened-looking petitioner wearing cream and silver robes. Behind him are four closed steel doors.
The petitioner does not look up when you enter, but continues to feverishly write with a large quill in an enormous book set before him.
Can I help you? he asks in a stern and impatient voice. I wasn’t aware of anyone having a scheduled visit today. Who would have ever expected so much chaos in the Perfect City? That prodigious devil overstays his scheduled visitation, and now more mortals wandering in without so much as an appointment!
The librarian huffs A devil named Beyschosz currently occupies the main lecture hall. He had an allotment of time to study on of Hao Jin's engrams, but that time has long since expired and he simply refuses to leave. Had Tabris asked the aeons to remove him I am sure they would have jumped to his aid, but for me I am simply not a high enough priority. They just tell me that the devil has not caused a disturbance and they have more pressing matters to deal with.
The quill continues to scratch across the pages as he speak with you.
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Pooka experiences a series of flashbacks to his days supporting the fight against the demonic hordes pouring out of the worldwound for the society. He quickly catches himself though, remembering that demons are rather different from devils. He nods at Nugat's question. If there was a contract in place, it was no doubt deceptively in favor of the devil. One thing about contracts though is in order for it to be legitimate, it must have an ending time. If this devil has gone past that time, well this might just be pretty cut and dry.
Still, just in case, Pooka pulls out his oil of align weapon (good) and keeps it in hand, just in case he needs to quickly apply it to his lance.
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Yanndu renews his shield spell by triggering his staff's power. He also enables mirror image and invisibility on himself. In the next few moments he addresses the party telepathically:
***...friends, please assemble around Pooka...I will put a spell of fire resistance on you all...in case this is the kind of devil who likes to play with fire...***
The Librarian quickly jumps up and ushers you to a large door which he opens with a wrought-iron key. Best of luck now! I’ll be closing the door behind you, just knock three times when you’re ready to leave. Don’t worry if you have to get a little rough with the devil now but make certain that you don’t break anything!
The lecture hall is dimly lit by sconces set at regular intervals around the room, and its vaulted ceiling stretches 60 feet high. There are four windows set 20 feet above the ground one on either side of the southwestern corner, one on the northern end of the west wall, and one on the northern corner of the eastern wall.
The Heresy Devil chortles at you I told that delightfully broken little soul that I’m busy. Did she not pass along the message?