"Agreed, Hskoro, Demon corpses in what should be a Demon-free area is certainly cause for concern," Vosk adds, resuming his scan for magic."Anyone able to tell roughly how long these have been here?"
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"Agreed, Hskoro, Demon corpses in what should be a Demon-free area is certainly cause for concern," Vosk adds, resuming his scan for magic."Anyone able to tell roughly how long these have been here?"
"Venture Captain Jorsal said that the demons learned of the tower and attacked it. Ghalcor and his team were unprepared for the assault but were able to activate the "special safeguards" to protect the weapon. Unfortunately the number and nature of those "special safeguards" is unknown. It appears these demons may have been killed by whatever protective measures were in place."
Being untrained in the skill of healing or treating wounds, Trajan offers Dexter what help he can in determining how and when the creatures died.
With weapons drawn, the pathfinders advance into the tower. It's clear that the demonic invaders died to both physical attacks and spells - pierced by arrows and slashed by scything blades from traps, burned and blasted by holy fire - but there are also humanoid corpses who died fighting those invaders. The battle took place years ago, and all of the corpses are decayed. Fortunately, none of them rise up to greet you.
Vosk senses no magic other than that which you brought in yourselves.
Radiarch and Trajan sense the evil of the demons, despite their being long-dead.
Vosk keeps his hefty frame to the back of the group. "Once we feel it safe, let's proceed then. Doesn't appear to be anything worth pausing for further here."
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Doran catches up to the front of the group - and just in time! His keen senses catch a pressure-plate right before Hskoro steps on it.
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Stop! Hskoro...move back carefully...there is a pressure plate. Everyone..get back... Doran says as he breaks out his tools and starts trying to foil the trap once the others are back safely.
[dice=DD, Mwk tools]1d20+14+2
Trajan holds his position until Doran gives the 'all clear' to advance.
"Thank you Doran; I don't want to join the pile of corpses in the entryway."
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Everyone dies at some point... Doran says as he straightens up and puts his tools away.
It's my job to hasten that for some and postpone it for others... he says with a sly grin.
"Indeed we all do die. I'd rather not be killed by a trap meant for a demon. Dying while battling the hordes of evil, that would be more suitable."
The trap proves to be beyond Doran's ability to disarm, but at least he doesn't set it off and it's easily walked around once he's marked the location.
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”Definitely leave it in place if we can walk around it. It may slow down any demons that follow us.”
Dexter sticks near the back, but gives his opinion on the situation.
"It could also activate on any crusaders who come in here to warn us, update us, or assist us. I'll defer to Doran on if he thinks he's capable of disarming the device."
Doran errs on the side of caution, and chooses to leave markers to show the rest of the pathfinders where not to tread.
The rest of the group blunders along carefully follows him. No further traps are found. The corridor ends in an octagonal chamber.
Flowing script of inlaid silver lines the polished walls. A heavy-looking iron door reinforced by four thick, horizontal bars of stone blocks the way to the west. A niche in the north wall contains a glass octagonal prism clasped between a set of steel prongs. Liquid that glows with a blue-white radiance fills much of the prism’s interior. A stout lever is set into the wall next to the door.
Each of the stone bars has four dials set within it. Each dial bears numbers, from zero to nine with a further blank face, and can be rotated. Each bar also bears a unique description carved in both Common and Celestial.
The prism is an ingenious device - a kind of battery for Good or Holy energy. If sufficiently charged up, a wielder can use the prism to enhance the power of Good spells. The prism can hold 8 charges; 2 charges boost a Good spell by 1 level, 4 charges by 2 levels, and 8 charges by 3 levels. In addition a prism can the thrown like a splash weapon, exploding in a similar way to a Holy Smite spell with a Caster Level equal to the charges remaining.
Prisms can be recharged in several ways: a Good spell cast directly upon the prism is absorbed, restoring 1 charge per spell level. Channel Energy, when augmented by an ability that harms Evil Outsiders or heals Good Outsiders [Alignment Channel feat], restores 1 charge per die of the Channel effect. Lastly, a Good-aligned person can give up their own energy: concentrating on the prism as a full-round action restores 1d4 charges but imposes a negative level on the wielder for 24 hours.
A prism holds a maximum of 8 charges. This one currently holds 6.
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Dexter checks the area for dangers and moves up to look at the door/lock/puzzle.
”Usually these puzzles are some sort of capital letter on a word that spells something out, but with four different phrases and four sets of four numbers, it is probably a date. And that would match with the fact we got inside with wayfinders. As in, the guy wants pathfinders to get through this stuff and we should know our history. So all we have to do is recall famous dates for these things.”
Although his schooling isn't enough to decipher the workings of the prism, Trajan certainly recognises the significance of the text. The phrases are excerpts from the Acts of Iomedae - the miracles that the Goddess performed before her Ascension. In fact, Trajan carries a copy of the Acts upon his person. He quickly thumbs the pages...
"Hmmmmmm, how curiously thematic! This prism can absorb holy energy, either channeled from a priest, appropriately 'good' spells, or through a 'good' person's sacrifice, and then use that energy to boost future spells or even as a small bomb. Perhaps something our more holy-inclined colleague would be interested in?" Vosk explains, gesturing to Trajan.
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"Hmmmmmm, how curiously thematic! This prism can absorb holy energy, either channeled from a priest, appropriately 'good' spells, or through a 'good' person's sacrifice, and then use that energy to boost future spells or even as a small bomb. Perhaps something our more holy-inclined colleague would be interested in?" Vosk explains, gesturing to Trajan.
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[dice=Spellfract, DC 20]1d20+16
"As good as your word when you said you possessed knowledge of magic and mysteries. So 'good' or 'divine' energy can be stored in it or extracted from it. Is there any way to tell if this is perhaps a trap or defensive device to protect the door and whatever is behind it? Can it be safely removed? And by safely I mean not just to us but to the prism as well."
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Dexter checks the area for dangers and moves up to look at the door/lock/puzzle.
[dice=Perception]1d20+13
”Usually these puzzles are some sort of capital letter on a word that spells something out, but with four different phrases and four sets of four numbers, it is probably a date. And that would match with the fact we got inside with wayfinders. As in, the guy wants pathfinders to get through this stuff and we should know our history. So all we have to do is recall famous dates for these things.”
Trajan absolutely beams as he's able to finally preach the words, deeds, and creed of Iomedae to his fellow Pathfinders. Perhaps seeking converts, Trajan emphasizes all that he knows to the group - except for Radiarch; perhaps Trajan doesn't feel it appropriate to attempt a conversion on a paladin of a different deity.
"Very true Dexter and I can be of help since these are describing the Acts of Iomedae! I have a couple of her Holy Text with me at all times..."
Trajan reaches into his backpack and begins reading the Acts to the rest of the Pathfinders.
"One of my favorites is the Sixth Act; I've actually seen that very sword in my Order's Citadel. A glorious relic to behold!"
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Dexter checks the area for dangers and moves up to look at the door/lock/puzzle.
[dice=Perception]1d20+13
”Usually these puzzles are some sort of capital letter on a word that spells something out, but with four different phrases and four sets of four numbers, it is probably a date. And that would match with the fact we got inside with wayfinders. As in, the guy wants pathfinders to get through this stuff and we should know our history. So all we have to do is recall famous dates for these things.”
"There are no dates written for any of the Acts in the Holy Text but there are numbers for the various Acts themselves. The dials go from 0 to 9 and include a blank. Each bar has a unique description whose writings contain references to various Acts. Maybe that's what numbers are used in the dials?"
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Radiarch smiles in respect for the Iomedaen to get through his recitation, while trying not to roll his eyes too.
"Deciphering these numbers is tricky though for sure. I am a mere field servant of the Elk Father, but allow me to take a moment to recall where my studies overlapped."
Radiarch removes his pack and pulls out his copy of Parables of Erastil to help jog his memory to assist if any dates or context with allied deities, including Iomedae, may of lined up. While he rummaged through his bag, he saw the Silver Crusade imprint on some of his gear, recalling his studies for membership as well.
Once per session, while wearing a Pathfinder Society Roleplaying Guild Faction Pin matching your character's faction (got it right here sitting at my keyboard! Photo proof of ownership on Chronicles link in my profile), you may add 1 to any skill check. If you apply this benefit to one of your faction's favored skills, listed below, you instead roll 1d4 and add the result. For this roll you also treat the faction's favored skill as if you were trained, even if you don't have a rank in it.
Silver Crusade favored skills: Heal, Knowledge (religion), and Sense Motive
He'll glean any information he can and share with the party.
Can it be safely removed?
Doran knows enough about traps to realise that if the prism is an energy source, removing it without disarming the trap as well would probably go badly.
each bar with the four dials is over one of the stone bars and they are in the order presented in Slide 3? Meaning the 1st dial has, "A broken sword is reborn in knight-saving blood so that Absalom might withstand evil," the 2nd dial has the 2nd line, etc.?
Radiarch doesn't find any confluence of dates - the numbers must mean something else.
Capitalizing on a pause in Trajan's proselytizing, Vosk quickly inserts himself. "Ah! Matching each inscription with an act produces a plausible code: 6835. I'm going to stand with Salazar, over there, but someone should test it out!"
He hurriedly shuffles back to his boarfriend, surely not inspiring much confidence in his code...
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Capitalizing on a pause in Trajan's proselytizing, Vosk quickly inserts himself. "Ah! Matching each inscription with an act produces a plausible code: 6835. I'm going to stand with Salazar, over there, but someone should test it out!"
He hurriedly shuffles back to his boarfriend, surely not inspiring much confidence in his code...
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Well, that thing must be disarmed before tinkering with it... Doran says pointing to the crystal. No telling how bad that would mess up up...
"I understand. I'm hoping that, once we've disarmed this system, we can take the prism with us. It could prove valuable in understanding the weapon here and, if we learn how it was made, perhaps it can be used on the battlefield."
A smile appears on Trajan's face as he thinks about hundreds or even thousands of such devices being unleashed on the demonic hordes from the Worldwound...
The prism looks easy to remove - once the door trap has been dealt with.
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[dice=Knowledge: Geography + Inspiration]1d20+5+1d6
Dexter shares the info about Eleder.
"I have passing familiarity with Sargava since it used to be a Chellish colony. Does anyone happen to know if Eleder is close to Senghor?"
Trajan begins setting the dials to the values he's puzzled out, waiting for anyone with suggestions or corrections to assist.
"In the event I paid more attention to lessons with the sword then the book this might be the time to prepare any magical defenses. Unfortunately I don't know what this prism will do to us should I be wrong."