A courier runs up to you when you're in Absalom. "I've been looking for you. Got something I'm supposed to deliver - your hands only." He leaves you a letter.
Esteemed Pathfinder,
Your remarkable feats in the field have earned you a unique distinction—an invitation to the Gauntlet, a test of your mettle that only a select few undertake.
Report immediately to the Gauntlet Siege Castle north of Absalom. There, behind the imposing red doors, you will face trials that will forge your path within the Pathfinder Society.
Once you cross that threshold, remember that honor obliges you to stay until you have successfully navigated its many dangers. Your resolution will be your guiding light in this formidable challenge.
May you rise to the occasion and emerge from the Gauntlet triumphant.
Explore, Coorporate, Report,
A Decemvirate member
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A half-orc, tall even for her race, with bones woven into her full plate stands with her back towards the door. She holds what appears to be a gleaming claw hammer that seems almost comical in her hand. She has a jovial smile on her face that does not match her intimidating appearance as she looks at the goods, but her razor-sharp teeth could probably turn that smile menacing in a moment.
"I am Elbesamiya dy Bulaka," she says as other Pathfinders approach the castle, "though I prefer just 'Elby' unless we are trying to impress some nobles. I'm who the Society sends when they want something big brought back alive, though the letter makes it seem like this is more of a test than a true mission. This thing gets a whole lot bigger," she adds, holding up the hammer, "but I find it's easier to travel with it like this."
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The undine was almost the opposite of the hulking warrior in ever way. Make, undine, small, armorless, basically weapon less, and with a scowl on his face. ”Im Ashwell. You can call me Ash. I bet this whole Gauntlet thing is a joke that Zarta is playing on me. She knows I’d rather be in the cool, dark library. She finds it funny to volunteer my name for missions like these. I’m a bit of a mind mage, by the way…”
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Heralded by a growing stacatto of jingling, clanking, and rattling noises, the next to arrive is a statuesque human nun. Actually, it takes more than a moment to be certain she IS human: She is garbed more in cumbersome barbed chains than in cloth, and despite her fine Chelaxian features, her skin is black, as if she'd been repeatedly marinated in ash, perhaps at both temperature extremes. The chains bear the distinctive iconography of Zon-Kuthon.
She strides forth until standing abreast with Elbesamiya, as though to put their contrasts on optimal display. Her face is stoic until she looks upon the doors, at which point she permits herself a tight-lipped smile.
"I am Kali, of the Prince of Pain," she announces, echoing the others' words but keeping her gaze fixed on the great doors before them. "I have shown the Society my 'mettle' often enough before, and I welcome the chance to do so again."
She grabs one of her chains, and squeezes until blood begins visibly dripping from her fist. "If this time it is not enough, then surely I do not deserve to leave."
From atop the high bluff, the sprawling city of Absalom at your back, your destination looks like nothing so much as an errant pile of rocks and loose boulders. A Siege Castle, they call it, one of an endless number of ruins surrounding the City at the Center of the World, time-lost fortresses of would-be conquerors. In thousands of years, Absalom has never fallen, leaving a scattering of forgotten towers, castles, and keeps strewn at odd intervals like corpses on a battlefield.
As you near, the structure’s irregular contours take form. Huge monoliths of old stone form a squat platform about a hundred feet square. Centuries of rubble and debris litter the top of the platform, which levels out twenty feet from the ground. A fallen tower or crumbling rampart rises from the rubble here and there, but the ruin looks beyond hope of restoration, its run-down architecture more a part of the natural landscape than an edifice crafted by the hands of men. But there, at the center of the southern wall, lies the landmark spoken of in your summons—sturdy double doors of bright red metal.
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Elby looks over Kali. "Do you also have past sins to atone for? I have always chosen to do so by easing the suffering of others rather than causing pain to myself..."
"To live is to suffer; to suffer is to live." Kali says as she assumes a stress-position and tightens her chains around her.
"One does not-*gasp*- 'atone' for the sin of -*Unh!*-weakness, simply forever remain a-*AaHHH!*- step ahead of it."
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Elby looks over Kali. "Do you also have past sins to atone for? I have always chosen to do so by easing the suffering of others rather than causing pain to myself...""To live is to suffer; to suffer is to live." Kali says as she assumes a stress-position and tightens her chains around her.
"One does not-*gasp*- 'atone' for the sin of -*Unh!*-weakness, simply forever remain a-*AaHHH!*- step ahead of it."
It sounds like you would have much to discuss with my mentor, Marcus. If not philosophically, then at least practically. He is a harsh man, but intimately familiar with pain.
While you are conversing with your comrades and casually examining the structure of the ruined siege castle, you notice that there are remnants of burnt incense cones by the entrance.
Ashwell can tell that those are used material components for several divination spells.
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Abaal steps nearer the door and sniffs the air.
From beneath his desert robes pulls his wayfinder and flicks it open. Light the color of Octarine (a sort of purple-green) can be seen pouring from it in an broad arc, assuming one is present and can see magical lights. Oft times when one declares they can see magical lights one is remanded to the custody of the local kingdom, and therefore would not be present.
Generally only wizards can see such light and upon declaring so are usually left alone by the local kingdom if said kingdom knows what's good for it. Abaal is not a wizard. He can see the lights only because his magical Pathfinder Society wayfinder allows him to.
Abaal is a tall, serious-looking man with the look of the Garundi deserts about him. Likewise, he carries a tall, serious-looking, black, curved sword upon his back.
Abaal Zadeir don't think there's anything special about the tower. It's just one of the countless ruined siege castles litter outside Absalom. He does recall some rumers, that it is whispered within the Society that only a selected few get called to run the Gauntlet, and those who successfully complete the test are more likely to receive prestigious assignments from the Decemvirate moving forward. Nearly all Venture-Captains passed the Gauntlet before receving their promotion.
With a deep, metallic thud, the red metal doors open to reveal a richly appointed room lit by lanterns along all four walls. A wide carpet of regal blue hue stretches thirty-five feet across the floor to a pair of deep green metal doors set into the north wall opposite you. Halfway across the room, the carpet branches to the west, where it ends at the foot of a golden door with bright silver hinges. Two man-sized statues of sumptuously armored figures in elaborate masks flank the golden door, the glass lenses of their helmets glimmering in the lantern-light as they stand silent vigil. Along the eastern wall, four broad stairs lead to a wide dais on which rests a long banquet table overlooking the room. Behind the table sit three well-composed figures: a long-haired elf in robes wearing a wistful look, a middle-aged human seated before an open book, and a gregarious bald human with a clipped dark beard and a glint in his eye.
Master of Scrolls, Kreighton Shaine
Master of Spells, Sorrina Westyr
Master of Swords, Marcos Farabellus
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"Hm." Abaal strides in. He's never been the sort to engage in gamesmanship seeing it mostly as a waste of time and energy. If the Pathfinder Society's upper echelon wish to test him further than they should send him on an actual assignment, otherwise his previous personal accomplishments should be enough to tell them who he is and what he is capable of.
Still, he tries not to glower at the three Society deans seated upon the dias. No doubt they will spell out the rules of this game.
The red metal doors clang shut behind you, echoing against the sturdy stone walls of the lantern-lit chamber. The woman at the center of the table turns to the massive book before her and start reading, pausing for a mement to look straight into your eye as she calls your name.
" Sword of Katapesh, destoryer of Eshimka."
" Liberater of Jormurdun, savior of the Tapestry."
" Advocate for Hao Jin, reaver of the Red Raever."
" Hero of Magnimar, hunter of the Aspis."
" Holy defender of the Everlight, bane of the Lissalan cult"
" Protégé of Marcus Samuel, explorer of Gloomspire."
"Able agents," she says, "the Decemvirate itself has taken notice of your exploits and adventures, and believes that you are called to further greatness on behalf of the Pathfinder Society. To prove that their trust in your abilities is well-founded, they have called upon we three deans of the Pathfinder Society, your former trainers, to administer one final test to you. Your task is to venture north , through the green metal doors, and face the Gauntlet's challenges and eventually emerge through the gold door to the west."
"Before you proceed, you may each ask each of your old instructors a single yes-or-no question about the dangers to come, which we are obliged to answer as honestly as possible."
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"Before you proceed, you may each ask each of your old instructors a single yes-or-no question about the dangers to come, which we are obliged to answer as honestly as possible."[/b]
Abaal leans over whispers sideways to Ashwell "I thought one of them was meant to tell us nothing but the truth, and another nothing but lies."
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As the doors open, Elby presses a small concealed button on her hammer, at which point it expands into a seven-foot-long hammer with a spike on one end, gleaming as if it had never been used (though it is clear from its bearer that it has). "Now I'm ready," she says as she heads inside. She nods to the leaders of the three schools and listens carefully to the somewhat overblown briefing.
She turns to those selected to adventure with her. "My usual question is how many pieces they want my quarry bright back in - I happen to prefer 'one', though that's not always feasible. But if this is a test rather than a usual mission, they probably don't want us to break their toys too much."
"My usual question is how many pieces they want my quarry bright back in - I happen to prefer 'one', though that's not always feasible. But if this is a test rather than a usual mission, they probably don't want us to break their toys too much."
The Master of Swords gives you his signature smile "As many pieces as you want my friend, you don't have to hold back. Whatever happened in the Gauntlet, stay in the Gauntlet. Just refrain yourself from smashing through walls to bypass challenge. That's a big no no."
'Are those 'two, man-sized statues of sumptuously armored figures in elaborate masks [that] flank the golden door, the glass lenses of their helmets glimmering in the lantern-light as they stand silent vigil' meant to come alive and attack us when we return through said golden door? (Abaal's asking this or a version of it regardless of anything else.)
Abaal looks at the statues suspiciously, no doubt he had met his fair shares of those that moves. He soon realize that they are not sculptures at all, but stone mannequins with removable costumes. Those statues/mannequins do look rather familiar to you guys though.
The decemvirate. Is it a straight path through or a maze we need to solve?
Marcos Farabellus grims at the inclusive OR, "YES."
Will teleportation magic work in here, like my dimension door spell?
Kreighton Shaine answers, "YES."
Sorrina Westyr adds "Do noted that this is a test for how well you solve problems, not running away from them. A challenge bypassed is a challenge incompelete."|
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Sorrina Westyr adds "Do noted that this is a test for how well you solve problems, not running away from them. A challenge bypassed is a challenge incompelete."
Again, more 'cart tracks.' We may only pass if we do it their way. "Ah, but it is said that 'a battle avoided cannot be lost.'"
Even though he is unsure of the identities of the two guardian statues, he feels the urge to preemptively hobble them both with his black blade.
"Are there challenges related to swimming and climbing over obstacles?"
Not going to play the logical AND game this time, Master of Swords replies "YES"
"Ah, but it is said that 'a battle avoided cannot be lost."
"There are times when you have to meet the problems head on. Have you try to say that phrase to the Mendevian who had abyssal rift open next to their homeland and lost countless comrades and families to the demonic force after decades of grueling crusades? When your childs skip questions on their exam in school, would you advocate for a 'not failing' grade for those questions as well?" Sorrina Westyr looks at you in the eyes.
"If you think such challenges is beneath you and wish not to participate, the red door is right behind you ."
"We already brings 6 Pathfinders in for something that have been done by just one agent. Why are people still scared?"
"Pride? Sloth? Gree-" "Stop it, now you are just naming runelords."
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And now we are 'children'.... Abaal's choler rises.
"I am given to understand, as you will not, I assume, be joining us, that the sole measure of whether this test is successfully completed or not lays in our ability to navigate the challenges presented on the other side of those green doors, and come again more-or-less intact to this room byway of the golden door behind us. Am I correct?"
"YES"
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"I have no desire to run from a challenge, but as you know from my report about the Red Reaver, sometimes that is the only option with any chance of success.
"So, rather than assume that you would not put a no-win scenario in front of us as a mere test, are there any challenges that cannot be overcome using any combination of force of arms or physical skill?"
Marcos Farabellus is about to say something, but stops as he notice that Kreighton Shaine is giving him a look.
He thinks for a moment, then replies "YES" as he does a gesture of tapping his head with his finger.
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With a deep, metallic thud, the RED! metal doors open to reveal a richly appointed room lit by lanterns along all four walls. A wide carpet of regal BLUE! hue stretches thirty-five feet across the floor to a pair of deep GREEN! metal doors set into the north wall opposite you. Halfway across the room, the carpet branches to the west, where it ends at the foot of a GOLD!en door with bright SILVER! hinges....
"Zons, how garish," remarks Kali a touch disdainfully as she first enters the chamber; she then remains a model of stoicism for Abaal to aspire to until she finally starts to feel The Eyes Of The Three creeping her way. After some contemplation, she asks:
"Ought we, the six challengers before you - and by 'ought' meaning strictly 'with regard to planning for the sake of our own self-interest in surviving and surmounting this challenge' - to expect this challenge to take us no longer than, at most, 16 hours, SPECIFICALLY AS OPPOSED TO the contrary expectation that it will take significantly (as defined by the perceptions and needs of we the challengers, and your fiduciary understanding thereof) longer?"
Never mess with a Chelaxian when rules are on the line.
One Master nods, one Master shakes his head, and one Master shrugs.
"Yes and no."
After answering your question, the elf closes his eye and start meditating, the oread goes back to her book, and the bald leans back in his chair with hands behind his head.
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Marcos answers "That should be plenty enough information for capable Pathfinders like you to ace the test. Are you expecting something more? Health insurance?" Sorrina nudges him with her elbow without looking up.
"Well, Pathfinders, good luck, and have faith in your strength and wit. The Gauntlet awaits." the Master of Swords says as he takes out a pocket watch.
You realize that the Red door have silently closed behind you.
After close examination, Zartan finds out that the costumes on the mannequins are indeed removable. Despite the size of the mannequins they're displayed on, the costumes look like something a medium or small creature can wear, and they have air tight zipper for sealing up the costume if someone wears it. They're quite bulky though, compromise a little bit of the wearer's agility for the airtight sealing on them.
What are the three deans doing?
Just chilling in their seats, waiting.
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"No doubt." Abaal motions to the green doors and adds "We should have asked if there was breathable air inside, as well as if there was a floor."
While Zartan and the others set to work, Abaal flashes his wayfinder's "black light" over the entire space looking for suspicious magical auras, and surreptitiously making sure that the "deans" aren't just a clever illusion projected from the city to here.
Abaal flashes his wayfinder's "black light" over the entire space looking for suspicious magical auras
If Abaal is detecting magic, then neither the mannequins or the costumes have magical aura on it. The deans have all sorts of magical aura on them just like Abaal's teammates, probably comes from various magical items.
Despite the heavy suspicion toward the statues, Zartan know for sure that there's no trap or any sort of mechanism on it.