More to Come
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Zaarah is a scrawny girl with auburn hair and amber eyes. She is standing with eyes wide open.
Her features seem Chelaxian but also have something else mixed in.
She is wearing light mithral armor and carries a black pulsing Scimitar at her hip that is attached to her wrist with a very fine chain.
Zaarah seems to be talking with someone! She suddenly draws her Scimitar that is so black that it almost absorbs light.
"Mesh! You are really cute! I think that your more humble attitude is more suitable!” she says with an uncertain expression.
She seems to listen to something and looks at her black magical sword with a curious look on her face!
5 seconds of silence
Tears are visible in her eyes and there is also a dark anger rising.
She then realizes that she is among others and looks at the rest of the Pathfinders.
"Ehh sorry for the argument with my scimitar ... well ... I always say this to new people I meet so ... sometimes what I say might sound crazy but I promise it will be logical!"
Suddenly, she starts smiling when she sees Kindle Crow and Rosella.
”Wow! It is you guys again! How have you been!?"
She then turns to the other Pathfinders.
"I do not think that I have ever adventured with any of you people! So what do you guys do?! What’s your specialty?!“
The quiet phantom manifests behind Kindle, looking very shy. She appears as though she has aged from last time, from the young child she was once to a teenager. Her height remains the same, however.
"There are new faces this time, Kindy. I have not yet met them before. Will they be afraid of me?"
Rosella seems to change color in her spectral face, and hide behind her Leshy guardian.
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"Don't take it personal, she's actually a sweetheart. As for me, I have to commune with the grave spirits, get an idea of what we are doing today."
2nd Level Spells: Barkskin, Bone Fists, Calm Spirit
3rd Level Spells: Badger's Ferocity, Soothing Mud, Greater Magic Fang, Speak with Dead
4th Level Spells; 2 Life Bubble
5th Level Spells; Air Walk (Communal), 2 Breath of Life(s).
That covers the following:
2nd 3/6
3rd 4/5
4th 2/4
5th 3/3
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Seeing the camaraderie between the fellow pathfinders, the ifrit Bernard smiles broadly and offers an accentuated bow. Dressed in his usual fine clothes with excessive jewelry around his neck and on every finger.
Well, they seem nice. Let’s try not to freak them out. Don’t want another incident like in Numeria...
”Hello there everyone. A pleasure of course. It looks like we may be working together soon. Always fun to meet new folks and cause a bit of a ruckus eh?”
He will eye them up one by one, somewhat awkwardly. As if trying to stare into their very essence.
”Hmm. Fancy sword makes me think you like to use it. And the one from Tian. Kitajo I think I overheard you say? Yes, not overly muscled, but you look sturdy enough. Well, I dare say I may have something to aid the both of you. I’d say ‘should things go awry’, but I’ve been at this for years. Things always go awry.”
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The door to the room bursts open, banging against the wall. Despite the forceful entrance, the blond-haired dwarf winces slightly at the sound of the impact. "Sorry," he mutters. "Sometimes I don't know me own strength." He closes the door more gently before turning around again. "Ye can call me Gilgrim. Gilgrim Flintmaul of Rolgrimmdur. It be a pleasure ta meet ya!"
The burly dwarf is sporting an immaculate suite of plate mail that seems to be made of the hide of some kind creature with fiery-colored scales. The steel shield loosely tied to his arm bears the shape of some kind of serpentine dragon. The warhammer hanging from his belt looks a little over-large, and heavier than it has any right to be, the dark grey metal bears the distinct, if rare, sheen of adamantine.
Looking around the room, the dwarf's features turn gruff. "Quite th' collection o' riff raff we've got 'er. No need ta worry, tho. Just keep me between you and the baddies, and I'll be sure ta keep ya safe." Arms crossed over his broad chest, the dwarf releases an even broader grin.
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"Don't take it personal, she's actually a sweetheart. As for me, I have to commune with the grave spirits, get an idea of what we are doing today."
Zaarah jumps up and claps!
"Oh of course Rosella is a sweety!!"
She looks into the group.
"So what do you all do??! Do you kill? Torture? Heal? Bless?" she asks with neutral curiosity!
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”Yes, Pathfinders” Master of Scrolls Kreighton Shaine muses. ”A lot of you, certainly. Lovely! Well, find your places in an orderly fashion. We’ve got some truly exciting news today and I can’t wait to get started!”
The sun beats down across this muddy plain, a scant five miles from the walls of Absalom. Fellow Pathfinders gather on all sides, including well-traveled field agents and more permanent staff from the Grand Lodge itself. In the center of the field stands a wooden platform, raised some ten feet off the ground. The excited chatter drowns out the buzz of summer insects as the gathered adventurers speculate on what’s to come.
Diplomacy (gather information)
The PCs might hear rumors about the Society’s latest activities related to this gathering.
Knowledge (arcana)
The PCs might analyze some of the markings on the broad field.
Knowledge (history)
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Strutting around in his fancy clothes, Bernard settles right in to getting the inside scoop on what is going on.
"Something big is brewing. Some sort of test from the Decemvirate I hear. Lots of finger wagglers, but also some folks from Numeria."
Not them again.... as long as they keep their constructs in check, I guess it should be fine. But if they don't, well, I have some new tricks up my sleeve. Bernard smirks slightly, then clears his throat and continues.
"And if you look at the field, they've got some sort of magic circle going on. But it's not quite a magic circle. It's close, but this is something different. Hopefully they'll explain a bit better than the usual."
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“Well, Locals call this field the Bloodwatered Meadow. Many of the invading armies that tried to conquer Absalom assembled here before being defeated. And ...
... One of the most famous conflicts here did not even involve Absalom’s army. The Linnorm King Yardvun Skolson clashed with the Thuvian warlord Attagesha hundreds of years ago as both attempted to besiege the city at the same time but refused to share the glory with each. They crippled each other’s forces and were forced to retreat without ever attacking Absalom!!“ Zaarah says clapping her hands.
“This is so great! We are going to participate in an experiment that might lead to something unbelievably new!“ she shouts.
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Kreighton Shaine, the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Scrolls and de facto Master of Spells in the wake of Aram Zey’s untimely assassination, steps forward. A broad smile graces his youthful, elven features, and his golden hair shines in the sunlight.
“Welcome, my countless eager scholars! Today we are about to witness a wondrous and strange new chapter in the Pathfinder Society’s history. But first, please everyone take a moment of silence to remember our lost Master of Spells and my close friend, Aram Zey. While many of you found his manner abrasive, he fully believed in the Society’s goals of exploration and cooperation, and I know his loss will be deeply felt by us all.” After a moment, Kreighton Shaine continues.
“You may have heard rumors about the Sky Key, an artifact coveted by the dwarves of Jormurdun. A few of you even managed to recover pieces of it. But—and this is the important part—the Sky Key is no dwarven relic. The dwarves found this artifact in one of Numeria’s many wrecks and struggled to master its abilities just as we have spent the past several months doing. But now… now we have this assembled... wonder.”
The Master of Scrolls pulls back a canvas tarp, revealing… a bed of withered roses. “The Key itself is secure in a small chamber we’ve constructed below this field, and it is connected to the surface here by a series of adamantine rods and mithral cables.” He taps a dark metal shaft beside him. “This formerly-award-winning bed of roses, however, we have left sitting here for two weeks without sun or water.”
His hands weave an arcane pattern, and arcs of lightning leap from his fingertips to the rod. A chest-shaking hum rises from somewhere below, and a bubble of green light enfolds the roses, revealing a flower bed of vibrant reds, purples, and yellows where only withered brown stood moments before.
“This is the power of the Sky Key: It creates a window into the past. No longer will the Society have to pick at the precious few scraps history leaves behind. Instead we can watch the greatest moments of Golarion’s history unfold before our eyes! We can watch the Eventongue Rebellion shatter Taldor into a dozen smaller states. We can witness Irrisen before the coming of Baba Yaga, or study the godcallers of Sarkoris before the Worldwound. We can witness the Starstone plunge Golarion into an age of endless night, or watch Aroden himself pull Kortos from the sea in its wake. Anything we want, we can study. And all it requires is lightning!
“Unfortunately, we must content ourselves with study. While our modern forms can enter these temporal bubbles unaffected—” he reaches a hand into the shimmering energy and plucks a rose. Pulling it from the iridescent field, the flower ages and crumbles into dust, “—anything removed collapses under the weight of time itself. We can witness anything we like, but any treasures of history, or great figures, belong to their own age, beyond our reach.”
“It takes the magic of one accomplished wizard to reach back thirteen days. How far, then, do you imagine twenty will reach? A hundred?” Several other teams across the field begin assembling adamantine rods. “Our math says: The Age of Serpents, some tens of thousand years before the present. And that is where all of you come in. If this works—and it will, mind you—then we estimate we’ll have four to five hours to see what Kortos looked like at the dawn of the Azlanti Empire, when our earliest ancestors still warred with the serpentfolk empire of old. We need all the eyes and ears the Society can muster to take notes and make observations. Oh, and keep those eyes and ears from getting killed. Anything in the bubble can’t get out, but these roses... they still have thorns.”
He nods, and Pathfinders across the field begin casting spells, directing arcs of lightning into the waiting sky metal rods. Something deep below the earth thrums, and across the field a massive bubble takes shape, expanding to reveal a cube of earth and stone hundreds of feet to a side, as if sliced from the land and laid out in celebration. Low, stone buildings peek over from the very top, while networks of caves riddle the lowest level. Ophidian faces peer out, then retreat back into the darkness.
“It seems the ground level was a bit higher before the Starstone drove it into the sea,” Shaine observes. “Regardless. We have three-hundred and seven minutes remaining. Let’s make the most of it!”
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"Well then. This is exciting news. With something like this, I could find out when the nagaji secretly wormed their way into power. The blasted Illusionatti has been much like those roses. But no, it seems we are to dedicate our research currently into witnessing something else. The time prior to the Starstone from the sounds of things." Bernard pauses briefly. "My apologies friends. This news is a touch overwhelming in what it could mean, and there are so many questions. For instance, how safe are we if we are exploring inside the bubble. The implication is that we may need to be alert and capable of defending ourselves. This might be a good time for a bit of precaution."
Looking over each of his new allies quickly, he will walk over and tap Gilgrim and Kitajo on the shoulder.
"There, that should help if the situation calls for it. A little extra protection."
As he speaks, he gestures with his hands, and at some point notices his attire. Tugging on one sleeve, the outfit transforms into a fine, yet plain robe.
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Gilgrim stands, strapping his to his arm before hefting the weighty hammer. "Ah've no idea what kinda craziness is goin' on, but I'm ready to go wherever ya need." He takes a moment to look up at the Temple Plaza before adding, "I cannae sprout wings like this one," he points to Trokkus, "So I either need some finger-waggin' ta help me out, or we need to head inta th' gardens."
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Kindle finalizes prep of his spells after hearing the team agree to check the gardens first.
”Got to admit, never thought I’d see what the deep past looks like. This is going to be a trip!”
1st Level Spells: Produce Flame (3), Longstrider, Cure Light Wounds (2)
2nd Level Spells: Barkskin, Bone Fists, Calm Spirit, Aggressive Thundercloud (2),
3rd Level Spells: Badger's Ferocity, Soothing Mud, Greater Magic Fang, Speak with Dead, Call Lightning
4th Level Spells; Life Bubble (2), Flamestrike (2)
5th Level Spells; Air Walk (Communal), Breath of Life(2)
”Kindy, isn’t this dangerous though? Messing with time?” Rosella holds onto the pumpkin leshy tightly and doesn’t look up, digging her face into the leaf cloak strewn on his back.
"Uh-.. Of course." The phantom gingerly takes the wand, and with a swish and a flick she tries it out on Kitajo.
The stink of animal scat and rotting meat fills this massive cavern. Shelves, passageways, and fixtures have been carved into the wall by careful hands, each stylized to resemble a serpent’s head or body.
As the agents enter a larger chamber, they come across three humanoid serpantfolk. They raise their greatclubs in challenge.
Round 1
Bold May Act
Zaarah
Bernard
GM
Kindle
Gilgrim
GM
Kitajo
Trokkus
The serpentfolk in red turns his malice towards an ally.
The serpentfolk in blue falls unconscious in a heap.
A jurassic like roar comes from the corner of the cavern. Loud footsteps can be heard across the floor, causing ripples in the puddles of the floor.
A fiendish looking tyrannosaurus materializes and snaps down Gilgrim, driving its teeth through the metal armor and grabs hold.
Round 1
Bold May Act
Zaarah
Bernard
Fiendish T-rex: grappling Gilgrim
Kindle
Gilgrim: 34 damage; grappled
GM
Kitajo
Trokkus
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"Rose, get into position!" Kindle calls out, as he begins to concentrate on a spell.
School evocation [electricity]; Level druid 3, shaman 3; Domain weather 3; Subdomain catastrophe 3
CASTING
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect one or more 30-ft.-long vertical lines of lightning
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes
DESCRIPTION
Immediately upon completion of the spell, and once per round thereafter, you may call down a 5-foot-wide, 30-foot-long, vertical bolt of lightning that deals 3d6 points of electricity damage. The bolt of lightning flashes down in a vertical stroke at whatever target point you choose within the spell’s range (measured from your position at the time). Any creature in the target square or in the path of the bolt is affected.
You need not call a bolt of lightning immediately; other actions, even spellcasting, can be performed first. Each round after the first you may use a standard action (concentrating on the spell) to call a bolt. You may call a total number of bolts equal to your caster level (maximum 10 bolts).
If you are outdoors and in a stormy area – a rain shower, clouds and wind, hot and cloudy conditions, or even a tornado (including a whirlwind formed by a djinni or an air elemental of at least Large size) – each bolt deals 3d10 points of electricity damage instead of 3d6.
This spell functions indoors or underground but not underwater.
Kindle then shifts backwards .
Rosella shifts forward towards the dinosaur , then attempts to make an opening for Gilgrim to hit the dinosaur back!
As a standard action, the phantom can make a melee attack against a foe. If this attack hits, the spiritualist designates one ally threatening that enemy. This ally can make a single attack at his full base attack bonus against that enemy as an immediate action.
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Gilgrim grimaces at the dinosaur's sharp teeth. "Ya see that, lassie!?" he calls out to Rosella. "It's trying ta sneak a kiss on tha first date! No love fer you!" He calls out as he plants his feet in a strong defensive stance and starts wailing away on the creature's face with all his strength.
Free Action: Enter Defensive Stance
Full-Attack Action:
Kindle begins calling lightning while Rosella begins the assault on the T-Rex.
Gilgrim attacks the t-rex from within its mouth. He notices that his hammer blows are not that effective.
The blue serpentfolk moves up and lunges at the grappled Gilgrim.
Yellow instead charges in and comes overhead with it's greatclub.
Red moves up to Kitajo makes a lunging strike.
Round 1
Bold May Act
Kitajo
Trokkus
Round 2
Bold May Act
Zaarah
Bernard
Fiendish T-rex: 44 damage; grappling Gilgrim
Kindle
Gilgrim: 34 damage; grappled
GM
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