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"Oh, here, let me help you with that before my armor winds down."
Liam approaches Khaul, and the bracer on his right arm seems to glow red hot. "This may sting a lot!" The heated armor issues a burst of steam with a bitter smell of medicinal herbs that.. actually, does make Khaul feel better. Liam then presses the hot metal against one of his wounds, which does not immediately feel better but does cauterize it.
...it actually helps!
But there's a load BANG! A knob bursts off of Liam's armor and ricochets off the ceiling, and acrid smoke pours out of the hole.
"Whoops," he says sheepishly, requiring the part and jamming it back on to stop the flow of smoke, "I just about had that working perfectly, but then I had an idea to improve the effectiveness and now I guess I have more kinks to work out."
"Oh, here, let me help you with that before my armor winds down."
Liam approaches Khaul, and the bracer on his right arm seems to glow red hot. "This may sting a lot!" The heated armor issues a burst of steam with a bitter smell of medicinal herbs that.. actually, does make Khaul feel better. Liam then presses the hot metal against one of his wounds, which does not immediately feel better but does cauterize it.
He steps forward to collect the dropped weapon and check the surrendered foe for any others. "And I think you were just about to explain who you are, weren't you?"
Narius the figure says looking up at Liam. The name's Narius. As you get a close look at the man, you recognize him - and the rest of the intruders - as a fetchling, a type of humanoid native to the Plane of Shadow.
We were here for a smash and grab. Marcien was having our forces sneak into your lodge, grab documents and intel on your active missions, and get out without anyone knowing. But obviously that went sideways - the shadow magics and illusions that were supposed to cloak us weren't enough and some sort of trap caused us to get scattered and set everything on full alert.
"Glad to hear the new setup is working as intended then!" You all hear a loud voice respond to the captive's comments. Turning you see a hobgoblin man clad in heavy armor approaching. He carries a wicked looking halberd, but loosely in one hand at the monent as his other is tinkering with a wayfinder. Sorinna smiles as he approaches. Ah, agents, I'm not sure if any of you have met Toldrar yet. He's a relatively recent addition to our Society, and our new Head of Security.
The hobgoblin pockets the wayfinder as he reaches you. His head lighlty bobs with excitement as he extends the newly-free hand outwards towards you."It's been an exciting day, hasn’t it? I’ve been hard at work lately, working with your Spells and your Swords to improve defenses around the Grand Lodge. Gods know it was due for an overhaul; any Oprak cadet just out of recruitment could have waltzed right in here before. Which is likely what these sorts" he glances down to Narius, who flinches and turns his head away from the hobgoblin's gaze "were counting on."
"Thankfully I can say that the new defenses work! It might take some time to reset all of the ones gettign used up or destroyed today, but the fact of the matter is every one of those wards that's triggered is one dealing a blow to today's attackers, and I consider that a splendid success."
He continues to looks down at the cringing Narius. "I see you've manage to confront and detain a few of the attackers yourselves, haven't you. Great start but we're not out of it yet. From the looks of things, we’re under attack by the Onyx Alliance, a ruthless mercantile organization from Shadow Absalom!" As the Onyx alliance is mentioned out loud, Narius' shoulders slump somehow even further. Toldrar continues, ignoring him. “We’ve had other recent run-ins with the Onyx Alliance, but now is not the time for a full history lesson. We’re still under attack! But I think we can make quick work of these intruders. See, I know something they don’t: I can see where they are. Well, not directly: it’s more of a ‘fumbling about in the dark while someone holds a candle at the other end of the room’ situation, but we still know plenty that we can use to sort this all out. According to the wards and reports I’m receiving, the attackers are spread out inside Skyreach, and we have a general understanding of where they are. I think I can gather a group to clean up what’s left. Since you’re already here, though, I think I’ll let you take care of everything on this floor while Sorrina and I work through the rest of Skyreach.” Toldrar gives a nod and another smile. “Let’s get to work, shall we?”
"Excellent." Toldrar grins. The hobgoblin reaches back down into his pocket to pull out his wayfinder again. Opening it up, his eyes narrow as he seems to be studying the heavily modified device.
"Lets see. Looks like there's two potential active incidents I'm seeing nearby. One of our fire traps has been triggered down the way. It's a pillar of flame that runs on tracks - someone will need to manually deactivate it before its safe to lift the seals and other responders can access the hall again. Of course I'm getting reports there are a number of creatures in that hall too: they'll need to be dealt with first, and should be considered dangerous."
"Also getting reports that several intruders have barricaded themselves in one of the floor's archives. So far I'm not hearing they've yet damaged any of the archive's contents, so let's keep it that way. Any fighting breaking out in there could end up damaging something important, so see if you can find a less smashy way to handle that - and be careful swinging if you can't."
"You're competent enough agents by the looks of it. Your choice which to prioritize. See if any of these might help you out, and meet me back here once you think the floor's clear." Toldrar pulls out and opens up a small backpack, offering you some material to aid in your missions.
Ezran picks up one of the tanglefoot bags and ties it to the belt of his robes. He nods to Khaul.
"Wise advice Khaul, I concur."
Grabbing some gear from Toldrar, you head out through Skyreach's winding halls!
After about ten minutes - during whihc time the tower is eerily quiet compared to its normal bustle, though several slinking and scared pathfinder scribes retreat behind you as you go - you come to a stone archway whose heavy wooden door is slightly ajar. Just beyond the threshold a female halfling leans against a wall with a crossbow lightly held in her grip as she gazes into the room beyond. She starts slightly at the sound of your approach, but seeing your wayfinders she relaxes. Thank the Gods you're more help.
She steps back through the doorway to speak to you, though regularly looking back over her shoulder into the room beyond. Through the archway you can see the chamber is filled with shelves upon shelves all lined with parchments, scrolls, and journals. My name's Janira Gavix. I was about to come in here and help sort through all of the unpublished logs and records here when that explosion hit. Then I saw three - I think three at least - figures in black cloaks seem to sprint in here right after. I tried talking with them a few minutes back, but they didn't exactly seem in the mood to come out. Good news is this is the only door out of that room: they're trapped. I'm just worried that if they realize how cornered they are it might be a coin flip if they're open to reason and negotiate or if they might do something drastic.
As she speaks to you, you hear a voice echo out of the room, though you can't quite see the source. Hey, who're you talking to. Stay - stay back!
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Khaul steps up to the doorway.
"Aye be Khaul of the Irontoes, and it be me she be talkin with. Th' question what be front of me mind, is who is it that aye be talkin with?"
His shield is out, but warhammer slung for the moment as he stands in the doorway.
"Now, I think we be all agreein on a number of matters. Namely that you'd be likin to leave with all yer limbs intact. And for one, I'd be happy to assist yer in attainin that there worthy goal."
Oh, oh yeah? you hear another, different voice call back Could say the same to, to you! Got some nice sharp blades in here. With us. And your fancy books too.
Ye-yeah! a third figure adds, though their (and all three voices in fact) don't sound fully confident.
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"Aha," says Liam, stowing his shield on a hook on the back of his armor and taking a tanglefoot bag. "This might be useful in avoiding smashing things up. Though obviously if I have to use it we haven't completely avoided conflict."
At the entrance to the archive, he reluctantly stows his mace but keeps the sticky "bomb" at the ready. "That may be true enough, but we're not the ones who cornered ourselves. If you were going to destroy those records, you'd've already done it. If you do it now, you'll force us to attack which is what you're trying to avoid.
"You're holding the files hostage so you can escape. Congratulations, it worked. You've won. Leave your weapons and come out, and no one will hurt you."
Perhaps he sounds too impatient.
Just drop our weapons and we'll just stroll on by? the second voice calls out, increduoulsy. Sure, that sounds like a plan. Because Pathfinders have never gone back on their word.
There's a bit of a hard emphasis on the word 'Pathfinder' there. Liam's pitch - however well intended - doesn't seem to have come across as sincere to them.
Ezran calls out after Erryn and adds on her point. Lives are more important than books. And this is a wizard saying that!
You hear muttering from inside the room.
This might be our way out
I'm telling you its a trap! We need to -
Oh come off it Alexei! Whole trip's gone up in smoke.
That third voice calls out loudly towards all of you. Hey! Here's the deal! We go out, you come in. We reach the door, drop our weapons on the floor, and scram out of here. We're gone, no more trouble, all of us here are out of each other's hair forever. Sound good?
Ezran narrows his eyes as he weighs the words of the unseen assailant.
"Come out of there and show yourselves. We will not harm you as long as you do not continue your undue assault on our library. We can speak of your liberty once we see your words of surrender in actions. We may speak of your liberty after you tell us who sent you on this fool's errand."
There's a moment of silence, followed by the faint sounds of murmuring not quite loud or clear enough to understand cleanly. Then two leather-clad fetchlings slowly emerge our from the archive's nooks, each with both hands raised - one open and one with a loosely held dagger. After a moment, a third also follows looking a bit more sullen.
When they reach the center of the room, each fetchling crouches down and places their shortsword on the stone floor. Then a dagger from their belts. And another. Then two more. The one in the lead turns to the others and after a quick flurry of chatter in a strange tongue, each also lays out a pair of wooden sticks on the floor as well.
There. Weapons down. No more shenanigans. the one in front says, slowly truning in place to show the rest of his belt is empty. Now your end. No more harm, we just gonna leave. Never want to come back.
They motion in the dark at your tight formation by the doorway, hoping you'll part and let them go.
Quickblade levels his crossbow at the fetchlings.
"All of you get down on your bellies!" he barks.
At the pointed weapon, the three fetchlings curse as they drop to the floor. Taking careful steps forwards you see a few vials in their pockets, but nothing magical None of the three are carrying any pilfered items.
Janira speaks up from behind you, her own crossbow still in hand. I can make sure they play nice on the way out. the halfling says with an audible tone of relief in her voice. Thanks – this could have gone a lot worse.
Ezran nods.
"Everyone wins when bloodshed is avoided." Ezran takes a breath in and slowly exhales. "Hopefully Janira will find out why they are here in the first place. We should expedite our investigation. Onward!"
Leaving Janira to handle the final negotiations/release of the trio of fetchlings, you strike out quickly further through the halls of Skyreach.
As the five of you move you no longer see more Pathfinder agents scurrying about on this floor. After passing by several arched doorways conspicuously blocked and filled in by walls of steel and mismatched stone it becomes clear that the many of the rooms in this area have been sealed off - and recently by the looks of it. A faint crackling hum echoes and grows louder as you approach the area Toldrar cited the triggered trap could be found in.
Finally approaching a crossroads the path in front of you is suddenly blocked as a massive piller of flame moves in front of you! Then it reaches a wall and seems to turn, moving to the north. And then turning again towards the west. Closer inspection shows a sort of 'track' built into the floor that is shooting out a ten-foot wide torrent of flame that moves along its path. The fire lights up most of the nearby area, though you see towards the west that glow dims into swirling shadow.
Initative
Khaul
Khaul raises his shield cautiously, checking and double-shecking the hall ahead. The track in the floor seems to be guiding the pillar of magical flame on a set route. The dwarf does not see any control panel or switches from his vantage point. He does however thiink he hears some faint scratching sounds and perhaps a fluttering noise from around the corner to the west.
As Khal waits, the pillar moves out of sight momentarily, before then re-appearing as it now rolls south.
Initiative
Erryn
Quickblade
Erryn races ahead. As she passes by the first opening the her left she sees more tracks leading across a central square-ish room in all four directions.
At the end of the cooridor, the cleric peeks west and finds that that hall continues about 50 more feet, though the last 20 of whihc is shrouded in shadows that make it contents a bit shrouded. . Even in the gloom she's able to make out figures moving though - including a pair of tiny draconic-looking things and a larger dragon-like creature with curved horns as big as an oversized doberman!
Initiative
Erryn (two actions)
Quickblade
Erryn delivers her recon report to her colleagues. Unfortunately beyond the word 'dragon' she finds her mind continuing to race as she tries and fails to think of any reports or stories she's heard about the shrouded things.
Initiative
Quickblade
As Erryn ducks back, the wound of flapping wings gets closer. Darting around the far corner you now all see a small creature streak through the air. Generally quadrapedal, with its hooked forelimbs being merged with a pair of dark wings, the thing's scales and form seems dark and vaguely shadowy even in the brighter light.
Of course you barely have a second to take in the surprise arrival before it rears back its jawed skull and belches out a black orb at you. The dark sphere impacts the center of your group and erupts out into a burst of frigid darkness!
Initiative
Quickblade, need Reflex
Quickblade ducks down and avoids the cold shaded blast, following with his own quick shot. That bolt clangs off of the stone wall beside the creature.
You hear a shriek right after, and a second of the tiny beasts wings into view before launching its ownfreezing dark orb in your midst.
Initiative
Liam 26/38, need Reflex
Ezran
Ezran struggles to peer over his fellow agents to assess their foes. Being cautious, he attempts to devise the best stratagem for his next move.
Arcana +11
Nature +6
Occultism +9
Religion +6
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"I'm af-fraid I need more than that," says Liam weakly, shivering at the cold. It's embarrassing to be beset by those elements he is best prepared to counter, but then he wasn't fully prepared for the attack.
Working quickly to get his armor readied, he pressed his heated arm against his own chest and released the explosion of warmth and herbal steam directly towards his own face. That should counter the cold.
Even as his armor's assorted gizmos and combat aids snap into perfect harmony, a loud clunk from the mechanism that redirects the armor's internal fire to allow him to create explosions (intentional ones, anyway) indicates that aspect of the device has ben taken brutally out of order.
Moving into the path of the fire with no plan seems unwise. He scans the area for any sign of the control mechanism.
Liam takes another rough blast of cold to his body, though his armor emits some excess heat to help counter it. Looking around, the inventor give all of the surroundings a good look but does not see any mechanism to disable the flame.
Meanwhile Ezran's eyes narrow as the mage takes in the creatures ahead. The drakes ahead to be precise - he realizes those two beasts are shadow drakes. Lesser dragons that can blend into the shadows the creatures have evolved a breath dragon similar to that of a true dragon - including luckily the inability to spit out blasts every single round - but while these drakes are used to the chill of darkness they are in turn more weak against fire.
Initiative
Ezran, two actions