The Hao Jin Tapestry hangs on the wall of this stuffy basement room in the Grand Lodge. The tattered piece of fabric, five feet wide and seven feet long, looks more like a worn tablecloth than a storied artifact. The Pathfinder Society’s Master of Spells Aram Zey stands before tapestry, his arms folded across his chest. He speaks without greeting.
“As you all surely know, the Society labors at some cost to assemble a dwarven relic known as the Sky Key.” The Master of Spells produces an intricately sculpted piece of metal decorated with fluid carvings. A sudden flash of excitement fills his weary eyes. “The object I hold in my hands is one of five pieces of that curiosity. The pieces that the Society has obtained so far share the same luster and artistic sensibilities, but have different shapes and functions within the assembled artifact. Today, hopefully, you will retrieve another piece. Previous missions lead us to believe that a fragment of the Sky Key lies within the tapestry, in the company of a dwarven clan that left Golarion for Hao Jin’s realm some time ago. Your task is to enter the tapestry and make contact with these dwarves, discern what they know about the Sky Key, and negotiate for their piece, should they still have it.”
The taciturn sage produces a hexagonal beard clasp of thick, polished metal. He focuses on Kal'Ryon. “You, Bocke Reed, Castinus Fulvio, Fiata Oe, Ichio and Quensha Elberion retrieved this beard clasp from one of the sites that we suspected of holding the Sky Key fragment many months ago. It belonged to an ancestor of the dwarves who live in the tapestry, and it may assist you in your negotiations. Return it to me if it does not gain you the fragment you seek. We hold no particular ire for the dwarves. Retrieve the Sky Key fragment if possible, but try not to murder anyone.”
Aram Zey adds grudgingly, “Does anyone have any questions before I send you into tapestry?”
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Before the meeting, Mylvwara can be heard having a... discussion with Crowe in a corridor, "It's not my decision. Zey asked for me."
An indecipherable rumble echoes down the hallway.
"Don't be like that. It's not even one of Amara Li's missions. It's Zey this time. I don't think there's going to be a lot of threats, really. Just a lot of talking and studying."
More mumbling ensues.
"I'm going to be late, sorry, you'll have to take it up with the Master of Spells."
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In the meeting, Mylvwara ponders what she knows about these subjects, idly flicking through a notebook as she does so.
"It is my hope that they will be grateful enough to have this back that they will offer the Sky Key fragment in return. If not, find out what they want and we can negotiate. Largely, we just want you to determine if they even have it," Zey answers Diazepane's question.
The dwarves are the descendants of those who followed Prince Naldak, son of the last ruler of Jormurdun, King Gutheran.
"Let us hope that it does not come down to violence. That should always be a Pathfinder's last resort," he replies to Deep's comment.
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Well, luckily, I can do a bit of both if needed. Hopefully there will be no need for the blade to be unsheathed...but plans never survive real life, do they? a lean man of Taldan stock says as he gracefully enters the room, just catching the last important bits of the conversation . His gear shows him to be a rondelero, one of the feared swordsmen from Taldor, with the nasty curved weapon bouncing off his hip.
Mykel, of the Cassomir Therinors....nice to meet you all... he says with a small bow.
Nothing but with those rolls you can also read the spoiler for her.
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"I am glad some of our previous exploits continue to be useful, master. I never considered that this clasp would be the key to unearthing part of the legendary sky key."
He smiles at the others in the room, the shimmer of energy about his form now mundane to many of his former companions.
Seeing a new face Kal turns and leans into a deep bow. "Mykiel, was it? The name is Kal'ryon, it is a pleasure that you would join us. I look forward to our adventures... You have some big shoes to fill, or should I say, Swords to fill" A wide grin breaks the seriousness of his introduction- and a non-existent breeze blows back Kal's black hair from around his face.
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Yeah...Valeros is a good man to have at your side in a fight...that's for sure. Wait...did he tell you about any of the scraps we got into? We've been back to back in a couple of incidents at a tavern or three...usually a jealous boyfriend or husband. Stories best told over a mug of some chilled ale...
"We don't know exactly. We know their new home is in a much more temperate clime than the one they left in Irrisen. They are in an area with mountains and hills so we're not completely certain which sort of terrain they're in. Dwarves are not exactly known for adapting so they may be in dire straits if they're not in mountains," Zey answers Mylvwara's questions.
"If there are no further questions?" he says, in a tone that clearly suggests that there shouldn't be.
In what is now a familiar process, he takes you to the tapestry, points to a spot on it and gives you the magical word that takes you into the demiplane.
The hot, humid air announces an abrupt change in the local scenery. A large earthen hill fades into view, surrounded on each side by hills covered in vines, grass, and stands of jungle trees. In one direction, mountains rise until they meet a haze of thick clouds. In the other direction, the deep blue sky is barely visible through an expanse of thick jungle. Just ahead lies a small village, its stone buildings overrun with vegetation.
As the group explores the eerily quiet and obviously abandoned village, Diazepane spots an odd figure.
The horse-sized creature has the face of a dwarven woman wearing a silver nose ring. Her body resembles that of a large bear with scaly wings. A barbed tail writhes wildly behind her as she threatens with a sonorous growl.
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Well, this is off to a lovely start... Mykel says as he shifts his feet in preparation for combat.
Think we can reason with it? Can't hurt to try, right?
in Varisia, you have received a medal and public thanks from the authorities of the city. While displaying
your medal you receive a +2 bonus to your Bluff, Diplomacy, and Intimidate checks in Magnimar and in
the cities and towns allied with it.
Ho, there! We mean you no harm...may we parley? he calls out holding his empty hands up.
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After hitting the ground and taking the extract offered by Diazepane , Kal meanders aimlessly in the jungle trees towards the ruined village.
"First cold. Then humid. Then clouds. This place is a riot!, an exclamation made to no-one in particular.
When Mykel starts speaking, he abruptly turns and sees the creature. A few strides later, Kal finds himself between the dwarven creature and Diazepane- polearm relaxed at his side.
Well, well. This just got interesting
"We just arrived here. Harm is the least of our concerns at the moment"
The creature eyes the group warily for a few moments but then comes to land. She does not approach closer but does not flee or attack, either.
"What do strangers want here? Other strangers already stole everything," she says, her voice deep but soft.
The creature comes a little closer.
"Master was last of Naldak’s Point dwarves. They were good and proud until evil came and took the youth away. Now they live in the mountain to the east. Their heads are bald and their skin is gray. They should cut their beards in shame," she says.
"Grodel not know who strangers who took things were. They look like all of you," she says.
"Grodel gathered what strangers didn't take and brought here. If you will help, you take."
She moves away from the house that she was near to let you inside.
"No, this Grodel's home. Grodel must stay and tell others about what happened," she says.
"It was 1 generation for Naldak's kin. Many generations for your kind," she answers Kal'ryon.
"No, no. Did not steal. Only with pretty words and lies. The young ones went away because of promises from Chergin."
She howls at the mention of Droskar. "Yes! Yes! Chergin promise safety from Dark Smith. Naldak people believe and follow! Only the old do not follow, including Grodel's summoner. But old all die and Grodel left here to tell the tale."
"Yes! Yes! They are no longer Naldak's kin. They should be punished," Grodel says to Mykel.
"Grodel don't know of all their treasures. They have many keys but none that open the sky, that Grodel knows."
"Chergin renamed himself 'Ironwhip.' He is the one who convinced the others to join Droskar."
With nothing else to learn from Grodel, the party heads east toward the mountain.
The mountain reaches overhead, covered in lush trees and white mist. As warm winds whip around the mount’s rises, wisps of cloud separate from the thick cover and float away. A brief plateau about halfway up the mountain features a sheer cliff, otherwise inscrutable from a distance.
The roar of the waterfall overhead explains the thick mist that covers much of the mountain. The vapors become gray clouds as they rise in altitude, but near the base of the mountain they are white wisps rolling out from the pool. The pool’s water is clear and deep, with the spill forcing white bubbles back to a rippling surface. Deep into the pool, away from the frothy cascade, a glint of gold beckons the eye.
As soon as it becomes evident that the Pathfinders are not going to fall for the treasure in the pool trick, the two men drop the guises and begin playing haunting music on their harps, directing their performances toward Diazepane and Mykel particularly.
A moment later 4 cadavers rise to their feet within the pool. The water doesn't seem to pose them any threat and they begin swimming toward the shores of the river with unnatural ease. One of them makes it onto land and a thick mist surrounds him.
The undead are draugr they're like zombies but smarter and able to inflict negative levels on those they hit.