The conference room is comfortable enough to wait in: plush chairs surround a table with a pewter samovar of hot tea resting upon it. However, Aram Zey is, unsurprisingly, late for this meeting. Then again, at one point in your adventures he had become the insubstantial guardian of the Hao Jin Tapestry demiplane so he's not THAT late. Finally, the door flies open and the Pathfinder Society’s Master of Spells strides through in peremptory fashion.
“Sit, if you like,” he says, coming to a halt at the head of the table but making no effort to seat himself. “I have a job that needs doing, and it’s an important one. And since the lot of you have proven less likely than most to bungle the whole thing, you’ll suffice.
“Much of my time over the past year has been involved in the exploration of the demiplane inside the Hao Jin Tapestry, the artifact we acquired as a prize for winning the Ruby Phoenix Tournament. As you may know, those efforts have been severely hampered by the presence of Aspis Consortium agents inside what should be our private realm. I cannot even begin to describe the resources the Decemvirate has spent tracking this infestation to its source.
“But we’re nearly at the end, and I should be able to resume productive uses of my time. I believe all Aspis agents inside the tapestry itself have been dealt with, and we have located their means of access to the demiplane: a portal, torn into the plane from somewhere on Golarion. You secured the tapestry end of the portal, but that isn’t enough. A second point of access to the demiplane could be invaluable to our efforts, especially if it permits quick and easy travel from Absalom to wherever the static entrance is in Golarion—a shortcut, if you will. No, I need the other side captured, and whatever facility the Aspis Consortium maintains there secured. Go through the portal, eliminate any opposition on the other end, and secure the base for our own use. Do you think you can manage that?”
I think I can manage that.
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Taarik is a massive Ifrit. His hair is blazing and burning so that he almost warms his surroundings.
He has a greatsword and a bardiche on his back, a light flail at his side and a heavy shield on his back.
He wears a fullplate that looks like it has seen battle recently.
Resting on top of his chest, an amulet showing the holy symbol of Irori is visible.
* * *
Taarik is pleased that he is at the Grand Lodge ... such a place of knowledge.
He himself does not understand much about that kind of thing but Irori represents this part of life and he hopes to learn at some point.
"I am late but I have come to aid. Hmm … that even rhymed!” he says a little confused about his own statement.
"Ehh, I am Taariik. And yes. I think we can manage securing the Aspis base. But do you know where that would be? Any other dangers we should know about? I’m new to this tapestry thing."
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The ganzi opts to stand while awaiting Arem- leaning his substantial, but lean, frame against a long pole arm decorated with chaotic swirls and runes. HIs skin gives off a reddish glow- contrasted by the pale white and gold of his reignment. Underneath, one can catch small glints of bright chain around his neck and arms.
He smiles absentmindedly, as if chuckling at his own quiet joke- while a nonexistent breeze blows his hair about his face. His smile draws considerable attention to two elongated teeth - while his bored tapping on the weapon highlights long and dark black fingernails.
At Master Zey's beckoning, Kal simply nods and remains standing.
"So, this is functionally mercenary work- with no subtlety required? Your in luck that mercenary is my best quality", a wide smile overcomes his face- drawing eyes to his uncomfortably sharp teeth.
"My only questions are in regards to what intelligence you have gathered. Do we know where this opening might be? Hot? Cold? Underground? How long will we be asked to *hold* this entry way while reinforcements arrive?"
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Well dressed in the latest Chelaxian fashion, a tiefling enters the room. He briefly surveys the gathered team before nodding. This will do. "Well met. I am Izlin Greymantle. I believe I will be joining you on this assignment."
"Our intelligence suggests that the Golarion side of the portal is somewhere in Varisia, though we don't know much more than that as we haven't been able to narrow it down much further. As for the Hao Jin side, some of you are very familiar with it since some of you were part of the group who liberated it from the Aspis," Zey says, looking significantly at Diazepane, Kal'Ryon and...Izlin.
”Do you imagine the Aspis Consortium’s base is an orphanage full of doe-eyed children? Whatever else is there, it’s either in league with or tolerant of our enemies. We need that side secured for our own safety. If your conscience requires you capture rather than kill, then nullify any captives’ capacity for threat and deliver them through the portal to the agents guarding the tapestry side; we’ll relocate anything that isn’t dangerous,” Zey answers Diazepane's question.
"If there are no other questions, most of you know how this works."
He takes them to the Tapestry, indicates where they are supposed to touch it and gives them the command word to activate it.
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Taariik shakes his head.
“I am following the road of the Master of masters! I have to make up my own code as a paladin but I don’t know if I should just cross over to someplace and start killing people because you believe that is necessary!?“ the massive ifrit says in thought.
“No, I think that would be bad. But I’ll just knock them out if they’re really as bad as you say!“
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Well, I don't have as strict a code as our burly warrior here, but if things need to be done that are somewhat...questionable, I can do what needs to be done. It is regrettably part and parcel of being an agent at times. If I can knock them out, that's fine. That's why I have my little friend here... Rallas says as he takes out his sap and smacks the palm of his hand.
I am somewhat familiar with the Tapestry...hopefully my experiences will aid in out mission...
"You don't actually have to hold the location. Once you have it cleared out, return through the portal and my other agents will take over," Zey answers a question that was asked earlier.
Touching the tapestry and saying the command word takes you into a large underground cavern. The Pathfinders have established a guard post and research center there, all focused on a large round portal. That portal is opened when you're ready and you step through to find yourself...
The smell of dust and an underlying sweetness pervades this dim room. A thick indigo carpet covers the floor, stiff and crackling with age. The room is lined with low cushions and settees facing the chamber’s center. Here and there among this seating corroded hookahs lie overturned. A set of narrow windows in the southern wall let in a faint breath of fresh air. The walls are bare of coverings, but not of decoration; a band of tiles twice the width of a human hand snakes around the room, about five feet off the ground save where it winds over doorframes. The tiles form a mosaic of runes, variations on a pattern with one particular rune repeating over and over. The northern wall is the only place where this mosaic is interrupted; here the wall itself is pierced by a six-foot-wide circular gap, filled with a translucent sienna haze. Around this portal a circle of runes is painted, similar to the one repeated throughout the mosaic. They pulse with the same light that fills the portal itself. The portal and the space immediately beyond it are sealed off by a set of iron bars and a cell door; a pull-rope and bell are suspended within this crude cell.
You are, of course in that crude cell when you come in (the space on the left with the sigil on the floor) and your first obstacle is getting past those bars.
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"To Master Zey's point- hostages take a fair deal of effort, is all. I don't mind it for the innocent types, but most others..." and his voice trails off.
"I'll need a moment to stop by the commissary before we take off. I managed to deplete a fair number of my supplies last time we were sent in here"
He glances across the room, and his eyes land on the new members of the group. "I guess you'll be joining us this time as well. The name is Kal. Its a pleasure to meet you". HIs face lights up with warmness, which at this point appears unexpected. "I promise I am not always so direct. Just most of the time."
Diazepane's hopes are dashed.
The door is definitely locked, though the doors and bars look like a recent addition to the structure.
A locked door, oh shucks, unless we have a lockpicker, I guess we gotta head back. as he sighs, but will act and actually be very surprise if someone opens that door.
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Izlin interposes himself between Kal'ryon and the gate before he strikes. "No need to announce ourselves in such a fashion so soon. Mayhaps I can provide an alternate solution. Should it fail, then I would avail upon your proposed course of action."
Izlin incants a minor spell allowing him to detect magic auras, studies the area, then carefully sets to work.
Izlin finds that there is, indeed, magic in the area. He discovers 2 abjurations auras on the door and 1 conjuration aura near the stairs that go down.
He knows he can easily overcome the lock with his skills.
The two roguish members of the group make short work of the lock on the bars, even with its magical enhancement.
Stairs go up to the right and down to the left.
As soon as anyone steps out of the cell, a cacophonous barking starts up without any visible source.
As the group starts to head toward the upward stairs Taariik ventures a bit too close to the downward ones.
The Ifrit feels a painful bite.
Diazepane gets educational.
Izlin and Kal'Ryon get ready for a fight.
Rallas gets theoretical.
Taariik stands his ground and gets...
bit again.
Invisible thing, maybe we did something to provoke it, but who knows, I doubt it's a Demon.
The group decides to let barking invisible dogs bark, for the moment. And bark it continues to do but it does not follow Taariik as he moves away or move after anyone else.
Heading up the stairs, this room’s most prominent feature is a tall statue of patinated bronze, cast in the image of a formidable woman. Her torso and arms are human, but a serpentine coil takes the place of legs, while a seven-pointed rune sits where her head should be. Six feathered wings unfurl from her back, and her arms brandish a whip and quill crossed before her chest. She faces a pair of open bronze doors, through which a cracked set of stone stairs lead up. Between door and statue stands a dry marble font, the only other decoration in this chamber.
Taariik heals the wounds inflicted by the invisible dog then looks around the entry chamber for anything magical. No auras appear except for all the gear and spells on himself and his fellow Pathfinders.