Dot in here.
You each receive a letter from Venture-Captain Obo , inviting you to a joint meeting with him and the Sapphire Sage, Amenopheus. The meeting occurs in a secluded area of the gardens outside the Swordmeet Lodge in Manaket, a port city in Rahadoum, where Venture-Captain Obo welcomes you and offers refreshments.
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The elf takes a cup of mead and the offered fruit and cheese while she makes herself comfortable. Her visage gave no clue as to her age, like most elves. As was commonplace for her, she pulled out needles and fabric, as she began knitting while listening to the particulars about the mission.
She did raise her head and introduce herself to the others. ”Greetings. I’m Tessara. Just call me Tess. And this is Zariah,” she explains as the tiny monkey pokes its head out of the folds of her robes. She handed him a few grapes, as he happily skittered away, back into his hiding spot.
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Vincenzo enters, a tiefling in practical traveling clothes. It is only when he folds his hood back that it becomes clear exactly how different he looks, with bright red skin and backward-curving horns.
Over his shoulder is an expensive-looking crossbow, with a leather satchel at one hip and a quiver of bolts at the other. He fills a glass with wine, and fills a small plate with food, glad to have something fresh for a change.
Vincenzo. Anyone know what manner our troubles will take? Or is it to be a surprise? Well, here’s to us, while we can still celebrate.
He salutes the company with his glass, and then has a drink.
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A large man with a shield nearly the size of the door joins the group, a bow on his back and a trio of swords at his side each with a grip curling into an image of a different raptor.
If it's anything like our usual fare it'll be somewhere old and dangerous. Sukit Von Maur, of the South Absalom Von Maurs. the newcomer introduces himself.
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A servant of the lodge steps into the garden looking a little awkward. Announcing Princess Xen of Kelesh.
A lovely young human woman glides into the garden. She is both stunning and graceful. While dressed for adventure, her clothing is stylish and expensive and is accented with just the right amount of jewelry. A mithril chain shirt catches the light under her desert robes as she moves. She carries a spear and a crossbow is slung securely over one shoulder. A closer inspection reveals more to her genetics than her keleshite birth but its hard to pinpoint. Her features are almost vulpine in a striking way.
She walks like a dancer as she takes in the group with a smile. You all look quite competent. I am sure we will be up to any task assigned us. This should be fun. It seems our leadership has shown wisdom in not assigning divine casters to this group since were are in Rahadoum where divine magics are illegal.
Xen sits bu Sukit after retrieving a small plate of local food. You look quite strong. Will you accept my favor?
“Welcome Pathfinders, please sit and be comfortable.” Venture-Captain Obo motions to various benches. A gentle breeze of sea air carries with it fragrances from the lush gardens surrounding Swordmeet Lodge. In the distance, the low rumble of the ocean surf echoes throughout the port city of Manaket on Rahadoum’s northern coast.
“Millennia ago, when Ahriman, the Lord of the Divs, attacked the famed Jaizun Citadel, a few of the resident artificers and elementalists of the Jistka Imperium made their escape. Their whereabouts, and the secrets they took with them, were lost to the desert sands and the ages. Soon after, the Citadel of the Weary Sky, as the Jaizun Citadel became known, was demolished by a fierce elemental storm.” Obo glances over to the thin man standing to his side, “The Sapphire Sage, Amenopheus, is lending a hand in the nascent partnership between the Pathfinder Society and the Concordance of Elements. This new alliance is already beginning to bear fruit. The Concordance was particularly interested in the information we had about the Citadel of the Weary Sky. Recently, they detected an unusual elemental energy to the south, in the Napsune Mountains, and asked us to investigate this disturbance.”
Amenopheus clasps his robes tightly about himself, “We have long suspected that the Jistkan refugees from the citadel may have made their way into the mountains and constructed a hidden stronghold there. There appears to be some connection between this refuge and the elemental storms that battered the Citadel of the Weary Sky. This connection made our new friends in the Concordance of Elements nervous; they do not wish a resurgence of violent elemental storms any more than we do. Now that we’ve identified this lingering elemental imbalance, it must be corrected.”
Obo steels his gaze, “If we’ve truly discovered the ancient elementalists’ retreat, then it may well pose a very real danger. Our alliance with the Concordance is tentative at best and I wish to show our goodwill, but I cannot in good conscience order you to investigate. Instead, I offer you the right of first refusal—more an invitation—to explore.”
Obo withdraws a map from a scroll tube. “The Concordance gave us this map to the location of the disturbance. An ancient Jistkan mechanism blocks the entrance. The Concordance was unable to gain passage, but described it as some kind of sealed portal. From my collection of Jistkan puzzle-boxes, I’d wager it will take keen minds, such as you possess, to unlock this portal and gain entry.”
Venture-Captain Obo holds out the map. “If you are all in agreement, then good luck, Pathfinders. May the gods look down upon you and grant you good fortune.”
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Then you shall guard me and I shall guard you Sukit. Xen says as she leans close to the fighter and kisses him lightly on the cheek.
Of course I had to study history as a girl but I never much cared for the subject. All those old places were not as exciting as what was going on at court. I fear my charms will be next to useless against the likes of golems and constructs. The princess pouts.
Obo replies, "The report says little other than that they were unable to open the door. It did describe large marble doors with no obvious way to open them, and a smaller stone one with strips of metal behind it. We will have to trust your ingenuity to figure out how to gain entrance."
While the party makes preparations, Obo asks to speak to Tessara in private.
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Kitajo and Vincenzo, would each of you accept my favor as well? And we will need to know how far this journey will be. Will we ride horses or camels? Will the terrain a carriage?
If both Kitajo and Vincenzo accept her favor then Xen will kiss each lightly on the cheek implanting the mirror image trick.
The journey through Rahadoum to the location provided on the Concordance’s map is uneventful. The entrance to Deep Sky is high in the Napsune Mountains
The narrow, stony mountain path broadens as it ascends to a narrow ledge. The rock face to the south towers hundreds of feet in height. Two massive doors made of green marble loom within. They lack any hinges or handles but are carved with enormous, stern, scowling faces. Next to the doors is a shallow indentation containing a tiny stone door with a weathered metal handle.
Arrange yourselves on Slide 6.
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I accept. says Vincenzo. He does pause when kissed on the cheek, having expected less. Fortunately, he can’t turn any redder than he is now.
When they arrive, he loads a cold-forged bolt into his crossbow and holds it at the ready. When no one moves forward, he smiles at his own foolishness.
Ah, it’s me, is it? Well, if this goes horribly, say a prayer, and make sure I’m not buried in Cheliax. I’d honestly prefer to be cremated and cast upon the winds.
Vincenzo sets his crossbow gently down, and examines the doors.
Perception
Sukit notices while examining the doors that the faces subtly shift, as if observing his actions.
There is no obvious way to open the large door, and the faces stop moving as soon as Sukit addresses them.
The tiny stone door opens freely. Within, five thin metal strips are attached to the rock face, with large rivets set at the top and bottom. Above the metal strips, a phrase is carved into the wall in Jistka.
Each metal strip bears faded images of hands with raised fingers (see slide 5). A delicate wooden mallet hangs from a hook.
The mallet, fragile from too many years of weathering, breaks as soon as it strikes the first strip.
There is no source of magic here other than your party.
You can strike the keys with Vincenzo's hammer, though the sound is somewhat jarring.