Lyra calls out
"GIFT!! GIFT!!"
She looks at her husband
"She was just here but she can't have been, she is back in SIgil"
She looks confused as if fighting two ideas at once.
Jocinth comments "Strange, I too was thinking of your comrade Gift, yet, I don't believe I ever met her..."
Rollo grins.
Arlo! It's time to talk to a Time demon!
Rollo cast Heroism on the dwarf.
Feeling the effects of Rollo's heroism spell, Omdor (Arlo) gives Lady Lyra a peck on the cheek and begins to climb up to meet the Time Demon.
As the party does this fixing, Terex ponders the situation and even pops down momentarily to his library, surprisingly and coincidentally finding a short book, Hostile Time Magic and Means to Counter It by Hthalo Dunaro among his uncategorized books shelf - something he could swear wasn't there before. One thing Dunaro notes is that often when someone or something gets unwillingly targeted by a time effect, often a small totem is left behind (within a mile or so), something trivial and utterly unremarkable, not detecting as magical but still serving as a way to undo the spell if someone wishes and uses the proper rituals (some of which Dunaro goes into). The explanation is murky - perhaps the gods felt called to impose balance, perhaps it has to do with the "time tokens" gambled at the Pillars Of Time (Dunaro says quite a bit about The Pillars also...). And it's only distinguishing characteristic is there being no other explanation for it's presence...
Terexaltherin stops for just a moment to consider the unexpected book. As far as he knew he was the only one who had access to his library, and he hadn't brought anyone else inside recently. He also hadn't bought this book. So how was there just the right book for him on the shelf right now?
Unfortunately, the situation is time-critical, so the little dragon has to file the question away for later investigation, instead quickly reading the book searching for any helpful information.
He pops back out of his library to find the others talking about Gift, which is odd, because he found himself thinking of her too.
Thoughtful concern is plain in his telepathic voice as he addresses the group. Everyone, I just found something that may relate to what's going on. Apparently when time magic affects a being, a totem of sort appears somewhere nearby that you can use to undo the effect. Given what the Time Demon just did we should maybe look for one related to the Guardian. Though... I wonder why we were all just thinking of Gift... anyway, what we want to look for is something utterly unremarkable that has absolutely no reason for being here.
If we think it's time to engage the demon, maybe I could keep searching for the totem. Given the resistances demons have I wouldn't be able to hurt it that much anyway.
"Strange, I too was thinking of your comrade Gift, yet, I don't believe I ever met her..."
Azzim gave Jocinth a quizzical look before muttering, "Must be a temporal effect, really quite concerning if they start to build up."
Terex felt Azzim's approval for taking on the demon when he spoke into his mind.
Considering the situation, the party quickly finishes strengthening the central point and goes hunting for the time demon (technically, a Durre-Angon or maybe an UR-Durre-Angon) as well as possible time totems. Jajuloon is a bit reluctant but with some words joins the party.
So, arriving stealthily and carefully at the chamber you where you previous saw it, ... you find nothing, see nothing, no evidence of the creature ever having been there. Continuing the search takes you to another chamber a ways from the chamber where the demon was. Here, you each have a sensation of something out of the corner of your eyes - then, suddenly a 10' moth-like creature is crawling on and attacking Omdor... . Moreover, the creature has a strange aura that confuse the mind Omdor finds the Arlo sword has already activated smite evil against the creature without him noticing...
Looking at the thing, this isn't what you saw before, it looks just fragment of the thing...
(During this time, you pick up various random things in chambers that might time totems but you have time to evaluate them yet...)
In one fluid motion, Omdor fights like a star archon, driving the Arlosword deep into the creature.
Rollo cast Haste to better see that sword at work!
+2 to saves means Arlo passed the Fortitude save.
The little dragon is familiar with foreign thoughts in his mind, and is able to keep his sense of self in the midst of them.
I think this must be a distraction... Terexaltherin 'says'. This is only a fraction of its power... it must still be trying to deal with the Guardian.
While the others fight, Terexaltherin seeks a clue as to what the Time Demon is actually up to.
Azzim points at Arlo and makes a curious open palmed gesture and suddenly an aura of power crackled around his fingers before abruptly vanishing.
All of a sudden the fates interceded with Arlo, infusing him with luck!
Hitting with two of his three strikes, Omdor opens large rents in the crawling, oozing moth-demon fragment but it continues moving
Terex guess that indeed, the time demon likely could only effect the Guardian by transporting itself in time along with the guardian but it left behind a 'gift' for the party...
The Time Demon probably had to time travel itself, too, Terexaltherin informs the others, with an air of realization to his 'words'. We might have multiple totems on our hands. We'll have to be careful with them. But for now, we need to get this out of the way so we can concentrate.
He tries to press his will upon the demon fragment to make its muscles sieze up.
Omdor continues the assault on the moth demon.
After some confusion, Omdor finally cuts the entity to pieces, pieces which quickly age and turn to fine dust before your eyes.
Continuing the search for the demon (or the rest of the demon?), the party moves around the general area in a calculated, strategic pattern, continuing also to look for potential totems...
At the end of two hours, you find no more demon-trail and have seven items; A card from an Asjarian Fortune telling deck, a table leg with dragon carved on it and made of an obsidian-like material, an irregular piece of manufactured aluminum, a cedar wood spindle, a bound journal with only blank pages, a 10" glass sculpture of a rabbit, and the original book by by Hthalo Dunaro.
You also need to go to the bottom of the complex to finish the strengthening process.
Terexaltherin looks around the chamber quickly after the demon fragment is destroyed, wondering if there was a particular reason for its position.
All right, so... we need to narrow down our options, the little dragon 'says' after the group's search turns up several items. I wonder if some of these are from other incidents? If... could what happened with Gift and Lyra and Arlo been...? If this complex touches on other planes...
His thoughts trail off for a moment. Well, nothing for it but to look at these and see if we can figure them out. Maybe we'll be able to identify if one might relate to something other than our current situation.
He pauses a moment. A couple of us could go in my library and study the possible totems while the rest of you work on strengthening the complex? That may be the best division of labor. So, anyone want to come with me?
After gathering whoever wants to come, Terexaltherin pulls out his 'book rock' planar anchor and enters his library. There he sets the items down in the central area on a table and starts studying them, stopping occasionally to consult a book.
Lyra wasted to find Gift, her eyes she took out a device and activated it.
Plugging it into the back of her neck. She scanned her AI DB at speed.
As an investigator knowledge was power.
Azzim worked with Terex and Lyra to examine the seven items. It seemed between them, they had a wealth of experience to examine the items from many different angles.
Omdor saw the other more-learned members of the party confer together on solving the mysteries before them. The dwarf felt slightly crestfallen at his inability to contribute.
But he was a holy warrior, not a holy scholar, Omdor (Arlo) thought to himself. When the chips are down, Arlo would come in with his special sword and godling abilties and slay the problem, like that damn time demon. ...I wish..somehow..that damned imp could've helped fix his timeline. I was done, Arlo pondered. Now I'm being outpaced critically by the other members. Why in the 9 Hells am I here?
Omdor took out The Arlosword and looked at it. Thank Moradin you're not one of those damned intelligent weapons. They were always so snooty when encountered. I guess that's what I am now. Just a dumb weapon.
The dwarf forced himself not to show any emotion on his face as the others toiled on solving the mysteries of the planar items.
Rollo tries very hard not to smile at the others.
The Arcanist grins.
So, the party members turn their collective knowledge to the few unusual item they were able to scrounge with a mile of where you saw the Guardian vanish (including where you saw the demon). Looking at the items:
The original book by Hthalo Dunaro: it can be explained as parting gift from shimmer... A card from an Asjarian Fortune telling deck: Gurthigs sometimes use these. An irregular piece of manufactured aluminum: A camera support manufactured in the Universal Republic. A 10" glass sculpture of a rabbit: Quite possibly an expedition from the Dark Traders carried but had an unfortunate encounter with the Guardian a millennium ago.
This leave unexplained:
A table leg with dragon carved on it and made of an obsidian-like material. A cedar wood spindle. A bound journal with only blank pages.
None of which are from known planes... Each seems more mysterious the more they're investigated... Three different totems??
Consulting the Hthalo's tome, the demon could have cast multiple enchantments only some of which are obvious... Also you realize The Curator, who accompanied you to the complex, seems to have vanished without you having any recollection of the event.
So, reading Hthalo Dunaro, for a given totem, you must engage in a complicated ritual which if done correctly will undo the enchantment. During the ritual, the caster must choose whether the undoing of an enchantment should "propagate" or not, though the meaning of "propagate" is unclear even to the author though "propagate" tends to moving thing back to their original configuration but involve greater surprises...
And if it turns out an item isn't a totem or ritual is fumbled, usually a terrifying magical storm is unleashed over about 200' area centered on the would-be undoer...
As Arlo laments to the Arlo Sword, he sense a shrug back, as it was saying "Of course I'm intelligent, I just feel no need to speak most of the time, which I hope you appreciate..."
"We need to work on the bound journal with only blank pages, if we knew what could have been or has been written on it, it may help"
she says frantic to find Gift
Terexaltherin notes how smoothly working in his library is going. Something is *definitely* going on, and he regrets not having the time to investigate further just now.
If propagating is talking about the fix to the timeline spreading in some way, we probably want that to happen, he muses to the rest of the group. But I think we should reinforce the center first. We don't know for sure which of these is going to do what, and one of them may drag the time demon back here. If that happens we'll want it to be as hard as we can make it for it to do more time twisting.
He directs his regard to Jajuloon for a moment. Are you holding up all right?
Rollo muses.
A table leg with dragon carved on it and made of an obsidian-like material. A cedar wood spindle. A bound journal with only blank pages.
The dhampir glances about absently.
It seems that we may have misplaced our The Curator.
So looking at the items... The longer you look at the three, the more likely it seems that these are time totems - and three shows three different acts of interference in the time stream.
Which for which? And which to undo first. And whether to first strengthen the bottom pole? And whether to have the undoing "propagate".
Hthalo gives only about the form of totems to their targets, saying "some claim each is a metaphor for their target while other claim the forms are entirely random", still the blank book seems closest to Gift, who is young with her life still ahead of her. The table leg seems closest to The Curator, who was kind enough to leave his quest to try to support the party. This leaves the spindle - very simple and clean structure. Could be metaphor for a simple but powerful guardian but you give a collective shrug. Hard to know.
When Terex asks him, he gives a tight smile and says I am fine.
Azzim watched Jajuloon and understanding blossomed in his mind, he smiled inwardly. In Jajuloon's shoes he would likely be doing the same thing, although this did suggest they needed to be careful with what they say.
To the others, Azzim suggested, "Perhaps we should try this spindle first..."
Azzim's reasoning was the curator was likely extremely knowledgeable and may know how to restore the facility. Additionally it was clear the place needed a permanent defender.
Terexaltherin considers the objects and what they think they've figured out about them.
It may be best if we fixed things in the opposite order that they happened... so guardian first, then The Curator, then Gift, if we've identified the objects correctly. Especially if we want the fixes to propagate, which I think we do. So I would say the spindle, then the table leg, then the notebook.
Rollo smiles at the logic of Terex' thinking.
Agreed. Reverse time-engineer this mess!
So the party begins the ritual of time totem reversal, beginning with the spindle.
The steps are:
A) A square matrix of time and possibilities is drawn on the ground using desired arcane marking method
B) The totem is tossed in the center of the matrix while the ritual casters dance, sing and kick the totem in random directions.
C) At a moment of "pure surprise", magic is used to quickly and utterly destroy the totem - as much damage as possible ideally ending in the disintegrate spell. The pure surprise is the most important aspect of the ritual - the song and dance are ultimately to reach a state of mind where your actions don't follow ordinary cause and effect.
Rollo proceeds to dig through his handy haversack for his spellbook. He begins leafing through it.
The Arcanist speaks a few phrases and poof! A garden of poisonous (but colorful) mushrooms spring up from the ground. Roll them begins pruning and edging to create his arcane runes.
My therapist suggested I take up gardening.
Hiking up his robes, the dhampir proceeds to play kick the can with the totem!
Kids these days no nothing of the thrill of kicking a can!
Rollo steps. Rollo steps. Rollo steps. Rollo kicks the totem and the Arcanist utters arcane phrases while pointing his finger at the flying can...err...totem!
He smiles.
That was entertaining.
Terexaltherin joins in the ritual, secretly chuckling to himself at the ridiculousness of it. Once the 'dance' part starts, he throws himself into it whole-heartedly.
He doesn't have a lot to contribute to the rest, though.
Part of the effect of ritual is that those taking part lose all sense of time... At the point that Rollo activates the disintegrate, a huge, unexpected flash of light brings the group back to temporal awareness, at which point you see the Guardian, sweaty, disheveled and breathing hard, standing in front of you again. "I think we have little time before the entity strikes again, tell me what is happening here...
Terexaltherin packages all he can into as dense a stream of thoughts as he can. We came here because there were temporal disturbances around the area of some of the gates... He shares an image of the Giant's Garden. When we entered we found considerable damage had been done to the planar infrastructure. Images of what they'd seen. We tracked the stolen pieces of infrastructure to the Pillars of Time. They've been gambled away by thieves. We came back to seal off the portals and fortify the infrastructure before trying to get back what's been stolen, when we saw the Time Demon. Noting it was quiescent, we went deeper and found you, and I think you know from there what happened.
Rollo casts Haste. He also gives a thumbs up to Terex.
Terex fills the Guardian in and they bow slightly and say "I owe your party thanks, now we must be ready..." Meanwhile, Rollo begins preparations for a fight ... which seems prophetic as the party notices vague, backlit shadows with the rough outline of distorted moths begin to move and partly coalesce in the large room, accompanied by a soft sound like scraping of a rough garment and an acidic smell...
Azzim considered how exactly should they fight a time demon? What would such a thing be vulnerable to? There were spells that manipulated the flow of time, would they do anything, or was this fight more about protecting the guardian...
Terexaltherin focuses and begins his "don't notice me" aura as he flies up and towards the forming shadows.
Lyra pulls out and evil looking Rifle weapon And loads in a small dart like thing.
"Not a lot I can do but blast it at range, I will be overhead."
And her personal force shifts lifting her into the air, while obscuring her form sight.
Azzim remembers a comment in Shugrath's Tome Of Named Terrors, that despite being strange in many respects, a Nezar'von or time demon, fights similarly to other inhabitants of the Abyss, with tooth, claw and magic... Also, they are vulnerable to sonic attacks for whatever reason.
Meanwhile, the Guardian creates a 30' radius sphere of light around himself and those party members nearby.
The shadows swirl incorporeally, seeking a moment to act... Jocinth begins an inspire courage +4 and creates a sort of net of solid sound that near him... apparently able to harm any enemy near you.
The shadows solidify and come racing towards the sphere generated by the Guardian . The closest one stop 10' from the sphere and maneuvers around it, apparently trying to discover weak point, the other two forms are about 200' and 250' away. Also you notice other smaller moth-shadows appearing and disappearing randomly around the area.
The Guardian unleashes a huge flame strike against the closest shadow but it fizzles into the thing's darkness He says "If they all arrive, they likely will be able to penetrate this barrier" He looks tired.
Omdor cast bull's strength on himself and draws The Arlosword forth.
Lyra gets ready
She finds some cover a ways away, 600' and gets into a snipe postion.
She taps her comms to Arlos helmit.
"My love I will be firing past you for support. Point out targets and I will pop them, cheack and ready"
Her weapon goes hot, anything this high tech would not work on most plans but her personal force field surunded both her and it.
"Affirmative", the paladin confirms as he readies himself, knowing his wife has his back.
Rollo zaps the closest one.
Azzim casts several spells in preparation for battle, and he informs the party, "I've just remembered that for some peculiar twist of fate a Nezar'von is vulnerable to sonic attacks."
He also shields Arlo and Rollo in anticipation of them getting attacked.
Spell resistance really gets in my way, Terexaltherin grumbles as he watches the fight.
Thinking things over for a bit, he gets out his web wand and summons a web around the furthest shadow form, trying to slow it down with something that won't have to penetrate spell resistance.