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"I have no idea the significance of these papers but you are right we can let the old man deal with them." he says gladly letting Uoralveren take the papers as he turns to his brother, he puts his hand gently on his head. Then extends a hand for the gem.
"That goes to our employers too or I will give you a bald spot. They pay for what we find." he growls.
He helps look over everything one last time before getting ready to leave.
"If that is everything, we can complete this mission before some vermin start crawling in these tunnels or that fool fails his test and the guards return."
Again, you are discussing and standing in a silent room that looks like it was not touched for ages.
* *
Perception DC 15
* *
Suddenly, everyone except of Uoralveren and Valentin, hear footsteps that are approaching fast.
* *
Surprise round - only move or standard action!
Niocholu
Magellia
Renart
Malkor
--
Round 1
Male elven archer
Human greatclub
Niocholu
Magellia
Renart
Malkor
Uoralveren
Valentin
Female dwarf with shortsword
BOLD may act!
Magelia moves forward.
* * *
When you hear a scream you are momentarily startled and see a human with rage in his eyes and a large greatclub in his hands making a move towards Renart! He hits Renart so hard with the greatclub that he is hurled against the wall.
* * *
The Elven archer sees Niocholu and you see hate in his eyes!
He shoots an arrow but misses and then steps back!
Round 1
Male elven archer
Human greatclub
Niocholu
Magellia
Renart, -16
Malkor
Uoralveren
Valentin
Female dwarf with shortsword
BOLD may act!
The elven archer can dodge in the last second and the sword hits hard stone!
“You will all die for your blasphemy!!“ the elf shouts with anger.
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Valentin has a moment to himself with a wicked smile, ”Blasphemy, you say? Me? Never.”
Valentin readies his sword and charges through the frontlines of battle, shouldering past several allies and even running past enemies, until he stops in front of the female dwarf.
His wicked grin grows somehow wider, ”There you are. I always find the most interesting enemies hiding out of sight.”
When Valentin moves past the human barbarian, he is targeted by an attack of opportunity but the brute does not hit!
Mr. Badger's bite attack left a bleeding wound in the brute's foot.
-
Megellia is able to touch the barbarian with her electricity and definitely hurt him!
* * *
The female dwarf smiles wickedly when she sees Valentin and makes a move which creates a single mirror image of herself!
A second later the dwarf stabs Valentin, opening a small wound.
-
The Elven ranger sees Malkor as a threat! He 5 ft steps back and shoots an arrow that pierces the Bloodrager's neck! Malkor is now bleeding!
"You will die, human!"
-
The human still has rage in his eyes and with the large greatclub in his hands makes a 5ft step towards Magellia! The brute almost would have hit Magellia and the thrust was so hard that she would have been goo but the Rapier she is wielding is barely able to push the club away!
* * *
Round 2
Male elven archer
Human greatclub, -7
Niocholu
Magellia
Renart, -16
Malkor, -10
Uoralveren
Valentin, -4
Female dwarf with shortsword
BOLD may act!
The elf is hit hard by the northman as the pick pierces the ranger's abdomen. A look of confusion is replaced by anger ... but then everything fades away as the elf drops to the ground!
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Magellia steps behind the great club wielding man and once again tries to fry him.
For a instant the circuitry under Magellia’s skin flares and her face contorts with an unfamiliar expression of anger.
With lines of glowing fury radiating across her body she lashes out with magic and blade.
The brute is not able to resist the onslaught of your Android companion!
With a piercing wound and electricity still flowing through his body, the barbarian sinks to the ground!
The female dwarf does not smiles anymore!
Again, she makes a move which creates a single mirror image of herself!
A second later she concentrates and strikes.
After several attacks the female dwarf is finally taken care of!!
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Uoralveren sees Renart's wand and zaps him with it. 'I hope he doesn't mind'
Then he looks around at the enemies. "Why did they attack us? Who are they? Maybe the priests/acolytes here know who they are? Help me bring them out of this room.". Uoralveren goes over and starts dragging them into the main room.
After examining the fallen you notice that they are all still alive but not for long.
During the examination you find two symbols that all of the attackers were carrying with them.
The first symbol is the holy symbol of Norgorber. He is the only evil god amongst the Ascended. He is known as a Taldan deity of thievery and assassination, as well as a keeper of secrets. He is called the 'Reaper of Reputation' by some, but has more insidious titles among his other worshipers. He remains an enigma to most, and his true motives are unknown. Many of his own followers remain ignorant of his plans and designs.
The symbol belongs to an organization called the Harbingers, which was founded around the Book of One Thousand Whispers and that are dedicated to bringing about the promised Age of Glory by making the prophecies from the ancient Book of 1,000 Whispers come true.
The Book of 1,000 Whispers is a book of prophecy used as a guidebook by the Harbingers of Fate in Absalom. This book predicts events happening between the years of 4604 AR and 4714 AR. Unfortunately for the Harbingers, many of the remaining prophecies make no sense.
Additionally, the elf had a written note that unfortunately is written in a strange code.
The note details that the Harbingers want to attempt to make the recorded prophecies within The Book of 1,000 Whispers come true so as to set the world right after the death of the god Aroden. The group has come to the Shrine of the Failed in search of unattended items that fulfill more of the book’s strange conditions, but they have heard of the investigation of the Pathfinders and as their mission is in direct violation of the Harbingers’ mission they are to attack the Pathfindes and try to kill them to ensure the Pathfinders don’t interfere with the foretold omens.
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Valentin takes a calming breath as the last enemy falls. ”That was amazing. Made this whole goose chase worth it. I say we leave them to die. They know what they signed up for when they attacked us. I’ll wait for everyone else by the door.” With a final dramatic flip of his hair, he strides to the exit, stepping on the dwarf’s body on his way out.
You save your attackers' lives and later learn that they were Harbingers that wanted to kill you because some of the Harbinders' crude prophecies could have been invalidated by Eylysia’s cache.
After surviving the ambush, you are able to leave the Shrine of the Failed after some explanations to the city guard who take the Harbingers into custody.
* * *
The crowd gathered around the Starstone Cathedral has disbanded, and many of the locals are still horrified following Sir Reinhart’s attempt to vault the chasm on horseback, which ended with a fall into oblivion.
You deliver Eylysia’s cache to the Grand Lodge. Drandle Dreng personally thanks you for your successful investigation, indicating his interest in your future careers as Pathfinders.
He speaks with each one of you and should you not have completed your confirmation, the venture-captain promises to speak with Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine to have the process expedited.
Dreng promises that those who have already completed their Confirmation will receive further assignments soon.
In the next weeks you receive a lot of attention as the news about your discovery spreads!
Several Venture-Captains from near and far send you their regards.
* * *
The Wounded Wisp staff is still flabbergasted about your discovery and has received some funding from the society with which they intend to repair the disgrace in their cellar.
You now also enjoy Heryn's gratitude which means that the first drink is always on the house! You can take cooking lessons in the Wisp whenever she wants.
And of course you can be sure that several agents in the Wounded Wisp will never forget you and the events of that night.
After about a month you receive a summons to gather in the Grand Lodge as Dreng wants to give you a thorough debrief on this mission.
When you arrive in the meeting room you are all together again but Dreng is not there, yet.
* * *
A little female gnome comes in again and says with a sigh "So sorry, but Dreng is not able to join you again! But Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin will be here shortly! You guys have become popular?! Hee?" she says with a little bit of jealousy in her voice.
She leaves again slamming the door.
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"They gave up the information fairly quickly, for crazies." Malkor remarks as they finish dealing with the cultists. With the information returned and the mission completed, Malkor sighs in relief.
What a wild imp chase....
He spends his next month taking up his free drinks at the Wounded Wisp and milling about.
---
At the meeting he seems infuriated that Dreng did not even attend.
"I stay around this place only for him to not show, at least we can deal with someone a bit more normal...I hope." he growls while waiting to meet Valsin.
After about ten minutes Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin's enters the room. He looks at you with a keen interest.
"Your recent investigations and recovery of agent Eylysia’s papers have already yielded results. Under my direction, a team of scholars has tracked down the long-retired Society ciphers the gnome used and translated many of her entries. Although many of these records present valuable leads, one is especially timely and exciting.
Several months ago, the Pathfinder Society recovered an incomplete relic called the Sky Key. Its missing components disappeared millennia ago, carried by dwarven refugees to the far corners of Avistan and beyond, and the Society has struggled to follow these faint trails to piece the potent device back together. It appears Eylysia may have found one of the pieces centuries ago!
She writes of a visit to Tar Kuata in Osirion, where she not only met with the Iroran devotees there, but also the curious order of dwarven monks known as the Ouat. According to her journals, some of the resident dwarves’ ancestors arrived long ago from the distant north bearing a broken treasure of wire and steel. Based on additional context and several magical divinations, I have reason to believe Eylysia—and you—may have found one of the lost pieces of the Sky Key!
We need to make diplomatic contact to the Ouat which will take months. But as soon as I am contacted by Venture-Captain Norden Balentiir in Sothis to prepare for an expedition I will potentially contact you.
Until then I wish you all the best on your future missions!"