|
Bloodcovered Kafar wakes up and looks at his accomplice. "Ahh, you found the Consortium's ciphers. Luck was on your side. And yes, Grandmaster Torch was the man who bought those gems."
Katswiri noticed that Kafar tried to hide something in his pocket.
|
Katswiri falls into a short trance as she uses her second sight to analyze the documents and the codes.
"Why is there a forged bill of sale along with the real one in your possession? What was the purpose of this?" Katswiri holds up the forgery.
As Katswiri stares at the two, she suddenly notices something and starts abruptly. "Wait..you've both been bitten by the Akata." Katswiri steps over and grasps one of the wounds and examines it closely. "These are the early signs of Void Death. What have you been doing to treat this?"
|
|
"Arghh, yess the Akata bites, they really hurt. We don't have any effective cure for this disease. If you could heal them, we would be very grateful." Kafar groans
"As for those forgeries, they're part of our plan to embezzle money from the Consortium. They don't really pay that well." Nefti remarks
|
|
"I can't treat it, not magically. I used my scroll of Lesser Restoration to eliminate altitude sickness, and I haven't bought a scroll of Cure Disease yet. I can try to clean the wound and provide some basic care, however."
Katswiri casts Tap Inner Beauty on herself before attempting to persuade the two to be helpful.
"Frankly, your talents are wasted on the Aspis Consortium. If they pay so little that scamming them for this much gold is worth it, you should be working for the Society. They have provided excellent compensation for my time, and have allowed me to afford numerous luxuries and important magical items such as my Spectacles of Lip Reading. I feel you would do far better there, both in the impact of your actions and in your personal benefits."
"If you were interested, I might be able to make the necessary introductions. Of course, part of that depends on how helpful and coorperative you are; would you care to share what you hid in your pocket, Kafar?"
|
|
Kafar silently stares at Nefti for moment and he simply turns his gaze away, after which Kafar tosses the topaz gem to Katswiri. "Here's the thing you must have been looking for."
As Katswiri catches the topaz gem, she receives an empathic greeting when latent sentience of the Topaz Sage recognizes your mythic power.
|
|
"You're right, we should be on same side!" Nefti says to which Kafar acquiesces. Shortly after Amenopheus catches up seemingly exhausted, and although any wounds he may have sustained have been healed, his clothing is scorched and torn. He deigns not to go into details about his recent travels, but he notes with grim satisfaction that the Pillars of the Sun are now a safer place. Inspecting the seamless illusion of a rock wall Amenopheus casts dispel magic to clear the path.
In front of you lies the mountain pass to the Sanctum of the Sages. Beautifully engraved columns support the ornate entablature topped by a wide tapered cornice. The style hearkens back to Osirion’s golden age, and the impeccable design and craftsmanship lives up to the standards set by the ancient dynasties. A short flight of stairs ascends to stone door in the mountain. As you proceed to the entrance hall you see water gurgling in fountains set at either end of this crescent-shaped chamber. Fourteen columns support the vaulted ceiling, and the walls are polished to a smooth finish that reflects and scatters any light that you introduce or that shines in from outside. Spouts in the wall replace any water removed from the fountain, replicating the effects of a decanter of endless water.
Spotting nothing interesting, you walk north. Diamond-shaped chamber’s floor angles upward as it meets the walls, which in turn angle inward like those of a pyramid, creating a space shaped like a cut diamond. The walls are smooth and somewhat transparent, like foggy quartz, save for where three opaque doors stand to the north, east, and west. In the center of the room, a clear 5-foot diameter crystal hovers a short distances from the floor and spins slowly.
Amenopheus recognizes this crystal as a gatekeeper built to prevent non-sages from traveling deeper into the sanctum. He presents himself as the Sapphire Sage and announces that he seeks the Diamond Sage. The crystal briefly shows an image of a Garundi man walking toward the north door in the room, then a small, keyshaped sliver breaks off of the crystal. Amenopheus nods, picks up the key, and tells you that the north door will lead them onward; it opens as he approaches. When you approach within 10 feet of the crystal, you receive an empathic feeling of curiosity and inquiry, as though the crystal is trying to determine who you are and expecting introductions.
|
|
Katswiri holds the Topaz with a feeling of reverence, laying her fingers on it gently.
Greetings, Topaz sage. I am Katswiri, a seer from the deserts of Osirion. It is an honor to meet you.
When the group reaches the crystal, Katswiri steps forward to address it. "Greetings. We are members of the Pathfinder society, here to learn from the Sages. We carry the power of the Ruby sage, granted to us for this purpose that we may enter. I am Katswiri, a seer from the deserts of Osirion. It is an honor to meet you." She bows to the crystal.
|
Willard, still feeling queasy from the earlier fight shakes his head at the crystal thing, before following along with Katswiri's introduction. Greetings indeed, this place is quite fascinating, I am Willard, known as Ravenhair, from the frozen lands of the far north. I have long journeyed these lands with my companions, and we are honored to meet you
|
|
"We have been granted access through the north door, for those of us that carry the Ruby Sage's power. Nefti, Kafar, you will need to stay here. Before we proceed, however, let us see to your wounds."
Katswiri will use her wand to heal Nefti and Kafar.
She also takes out her healer's kit and tries to treat the Akata bites to the best of her ability.
"I have done all I can. We will proceed from here into the Sanctum; please wait for us to return. Everyone, I don't know what we will find here, but this is likely a good time to cast any long lasting spells you might have. We should be on our guard."
Katswiri will put her armor back on, then head with the group through the north door.
|
|
They both thank you for your kindness.
Two curved ramps ascend gently from one end of this semicircular room toward its northwest entrance. More than a dozen statues line the intricately painted walls, and all face toward an immense crystal that projects from the southeast wall. The statues are carved in the Osirian fashion, some bearing the heads of animals, and many holding objects like staves, ankhs, oil lamps, and scepters in their supple marble hands. Four engravings in the likeness of gemstones are set into shallow circular recesses in the floor arrayed before the huge jewel.
The wall paintings portray many scenes of Garundi scholars carrying Osirian treasures, using architectural tools, surveying a mountain range, cutting gems, and receiving gifts from three supernatural figures.
|
|
Amenopheus decides the key he acquired can unlock and open the large crystalline doorway, and he walks into the room with key in hand. When he attempts to use the key to open the door, it flashes with blinding light. When the light fades, Amenopheus is trapped within a crystalline prism like an insect sealed in amber, and the four oil lamps held by the statues have lit with bright white light.
At the same time, a spoken message echoes through the room:
At the same time that Amenopheus is trapped, the crystalline door animates the two statues closest to it as graven guardians wielding quarterstaffs.
|
|
Katswiri falls back to the corridor, using the brief pause from the guardians to cast haste to stay ahead of them, yelling as she does.
"Fall back to the corridor! Mina, block the entrance and defend without attacking! They're Graven Guardians, if you can display their holy symbol they can't attack you first!"
|
|
The voice said, “As the light aligns, so too do the sages stand.” If we align them right, we should be able to bypass this without too much trouble. Willard says, breaking for the two closest lanterns. he aims the first one, and then, drawing on the mythic power of the sages, surges to aim the second one
|
|
Carlin notices statue 2 (blue circle) as sharing features with Amenopheus; a lamp held by that statue correctly illuminates the sapphire carving with blue light. Katswiri identifies red circled statue resembling the Ruby sage. All four statues are now known.
|
|
When Carlin places the fourth lamp on the statue to her left, the constructs cease attacking and return to their starting positions.
Frazzled by his recent imprisonment, Amenopheus apologizes for not fully understanding what happened and why, but he recommends continuing on before more of the sanctum’s guardians decide to attack. You can push open the newly bisected crystalline door with ease. As you do so, the statues animate for a moment to pass the lamps back to their starting positions, resetting the puzzle for the next visitor.
A broad, simple, flat-topped column of sandstone rises from a deep pit in this circular, domed chamber with a white tiled floor. Though no wind can be felt, particles of sand slowly blow around the pit as if circulated by a lazy breeze, their movement creating a soft, rasping susurrus. The only occupant of this room is a Garundi woman bedecked in the style of an Osirian noblewoman. She introduces herself as the Diamond Sage then greets you and Amenopheus, proclaiming, “Welcome home, you may call me Tahonikepsu.”, with a warm smile.
Amenopheus is cordial but cautious as he questions the Diamond Sage’s decision to remain hidden for so long, and he speculates how much more they might have accomplished in recent years had they met sooner. He voices his desire to rebuild the Jeweled Sages—a goal that he and Tahonikepsu share; however, despite this common ground, the two disagree on many nuances.
|
|
I had a hunch that may have worked- I'm glad we didn't have to fight those constructs down.... Willard breathes a sigh of relief, pulling a wand and curing some of the damage he sustained in that last hectic room....
In the chamber, He greets Tahonikepsu, Thank you my lady, it is not often we get to speak with one of your knowledge and wisdom. We are members of the Pathfinder Society, seeking to expand our societies' knowledge and understanding of all things for the betterment of others. Amenopheus here is the most learned among us standing before you, but what can you share for the remainder of us? We know some of your ways, and the ways of these lands - having spent almost a year or two here, but what should we know that we don't? he asks, humbly.
|
Oh thank the gods that worked... Carlin says as she lets out a deep breath.
Those things hurt! she says as she casts a spell on herself as she sees Amenopheus and the newcomer start having a discussion.
Well, that's one for the Chronicles...I need a drink...something stronger than water... she says with a chuckle as she flops down on the ground to unwind.