As the Jistka Imperium decayed from within, its artificers and elementalists struggled to repel invaders from Osirion to the east. To channel their elemental power, the spellcasters constructed the mighty Citadel of the Weary Sky, but so much energy attracted a mighty fiend that crushed the tower. The Pathfinder Society knows that many of the mages escaped, but only recently and with the help of a new ally did it learn where they fled. Now the PCs set off for a forgotten Jistkan sanctuary where otherworldly forces now reign.
Active conditions: False Life, Resist cold, electricity, & fire 5 Tiefling Alchemist (grenadier) 10 AC:23 T:14 F:20 CMD: 23 F: +11 R: +12 W: 6 (+2 v. Fear, +1 v. Writing) HP: 83 (+ false life) Perception: +19 Init:+3
”The left platform returns us here, but the other button merely shakes the platform. Perhaps age has taken its toll. I can check the others if you wait a bit.
Vincenzo presses the center button, followed by the teleport button.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Sukit manages to keep his feet when the platform shakes, but Tessara is flung from the platform. Everyone has one action before something terrible happens to her.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Does Tess have a chance to activate her flight hex? At least the feather fall part of it?
Yes, since feather fall is an immediate action, it can go off before you hit the ground.
Tessara falls off the platform, but manages to use her hex to slow herself to a safe speed at the last moment. She is now at the bottom of the chasm, where she can see cracked and broken stonework as well as the (non-moving) bones of many humanoid creatures.
???:1d20 ⇒ 13
At least one of the skeletons is still wearing some of its gear, despite the centuries which have passed.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Tess casts her Flight hex as she looks around, not feeling comfortable at all down here all by her lonesome. She plans on flying out at the first sign of trouble. But as long as she was there, she began looking at the gear on the skeleton.
Active conditions: False Life, Resist cold, electricity, & fire 5 Tiefling Alchemist (grenadier) 10 AC:23 T:14 F:20 CMD: 23 F: +11 R: +12 W: 6 (+2 v. Fear, +1 v. Writing) HP: 83 (+ false life) Perception: +19 Init:+3
”Did this once work differently? Or did the platforms always cast down the unwanted? I feel we should try the buttons on this third platform as well, but I caution you all to get ready before I do.
He waits for the others to indicate their preparations are made, including Tess’s return.
Active conditions: False Life, Resist cold, electricity, & fire 5 Tiefling Alchemist (grenadier) 10 AC:23 T:14 F:20 CMD: 23 F: +11 R: +12 W: 6 (+2 v. Fear, +1 v. Writing) HP: 83 (+ false life) Perception: +19 Init:+3
”Such are the battles of the trap-finder, my friend.”
Vincenzo activates the top button on the right-most platform. A moment later, the platform begins to move, until it is adjacent to the gap in the wall to the south.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Female Kitsune Mesmerist 10 AC21/T15/F17/CMD21 |HP 88/88 | Fort:+6;Ref:+15;Will+17(+8 vs charms and compulsions) |Percept.+18 | Init.+9
[ooc[Backing up just a little bit.[/ooc]
Seening Tes begin to fall Xen swoops over to grab her, only catch a feather falling witch. Still she will go with her to the ground and while holding onto her install a mirror image trick.
You've found everything there is in the chasm/platform area, so I'm going to move everyone ahead. Feel free to look at the button spoilers if you haven't yet, since you can safely activate them all.
The northwest wall of this long room has crumbled with age, exposing the outside cavern. The stone floor is cracked straight across a gold rune. Large chunks of stone, iron, and lead lie about the chamber in piles. Small tubes of iron filings, broken glass globes, and crystal tables lay cracked and toppled throughout the room. Pieces of sculpture lie haphazardly situated atop gilded benches.
This is the same rune as on the platforms. There are no controls in this room.
Perception DC 25:
The eyes in the broken and unfinished sculptures seem to follow you.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Perception 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (4) + 15 = 19
Tess takes in the new room, interested in all the seemingly destroyed items all around the room.
This chamber’s walls rise to a domed ceiling riddled with cracks. Forty-foot-high stone shelves fill the room, all lined with books and papyrus scrolls. A ladder leans against the south corner shelf leading to a small walkway that wraps around the room.
Read Jistka, Ancient Osiriani or Terran:
Anyone who spends an hour reading the collection (and can read at least one of these languages) gets a +2 competence bonus on Knowledge (history) checks related to the Jistka Imperium and on Knowledge (planes) checks relating to elementals for 24 hours.
DC 25 Perception:
You find a heavy tome that is out of place. A marked page in this book details the Jistkan elementalists’s first contact with a shaitan genie named Illaton who showed a particular interest in building constructs and underground structures.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Tess was lucky enough to have learned the earth tongue in a previous mission for the society. She explains that the collection would help researchers study elementals and the Jistka Imperium.
Active conditions: False Life, Resist cold, electricity, & fire 5 Tiefling Alchemist (grenadier) 10 AC:23 T:14 F:20 CMD: 23 F: +11 R: +12 W: 6 (+2 v. Fear, +1 v. Writing) HP: 83 (+ false life) Perception: +19 Init:+3
[B]”I’d prefer knowing we’re safe first, then sitting down to read. What do the rest of you think? It’s a good find, though, I’m sure the Captain will be pleased.”
Vincenzo moves up to the next door, and checks to see if it’s locked.
This long room has an arched ceiling. The floor, walls, and ceiling are covered with detailed mosaic tiles depicting fabulous buildings and colorful magic used by stylized humanoid figures. Three alcoves contain limbless iron statues covered in flecks of shattered tile.
This corridor gives a visual description of the entire Jistka Imperium’s history in a series of mosaics that cover the room’s walls, ceiling, and floors. Some of these mosaics depict an elemental spirit bound within a golem, who appears as a ghostly overlay atop a stern-faced stone golem. These mosaics prominently feature a group of four genies that constructed Deep Sky, with a particularly emphasis on a shaitan genie.
Perception or Sense Motive DC 20:
You discover a subtext of how the elemental spirit and the shaitan gradually and hesitantly became friends but then experienced a falling out.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
The rich scent of palm wine, pipe smoke, and cinnamon fills this chamber. An enormous clockwork device with a spherical base, dials, and metal gears takes up the southeast corner of the room.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
As you enter the room, a large creature emerges from the stonework. It appears like it is carved from stone, but its eyes have an intelligence that the golems you fought earlier lacked.
DC 20 Knowledge Planes:
This is a shaitan, a genie from the elemental plane of earth.
In a booming, gravely voice, he says, "Touch not that equipment, mortal. Harm will come to you. To me." He pauses a moment before continuing, "I will not allow you to leave me leave here..."
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Know. Planes 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
”Greetings noble shaitan,” Tess says in Terran. ”We don’t mean any trouble. We are here investigating the strange excess elemental energy being produced from this place. We want to be sure it doesn’t destroy anything and harm innocent people. We aren’t here for a fight.”
Female Kitsune Mesmerist 10 AC21/T15/F17/CMD21 |HP 88/88 | Fort:+6;Ref:+15;Will+17(+8 vs charms and compulsions) |Percept.+18 | Init.+9
Xen initiates her stare at the shaitan, which is not an attack. There should be no way for it to tell...
I would free you noble one. I am also of noble birth and would help you if I am able. What must be done? Xen eyes the clockwork and wonders if her ability to use magical devices would suffice.
The shaitan may not notice the stare, but he does see you looking at the device. "Only a mortal may free me slay me. Why would you desire to do so? Touch that not, wicked Jistkan!"
I need Diplomacy and/or Knowledge (Arcana or Engineering) checks.
| Witch 12 | AC 15 (19 w/Mage Armor) T 14 FF 12 | HP 86/86 ( 0 temp HP)| F+12,R+11,W+13 | Evasion | Init +3 | Perc +18 | Lowlight Vision | +2 to recover from continuous effects such as such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack |
Know. Arcana 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (18) + 19 = 37
Tess casts a look at the machine, trying to work through its function.
Tessara can understand the workings of the machine enough to potentially convince the shaitan that you can operate it successfully, but she suspects actually doing anything with it right now would not be wise.
