A hush falls over the gathered Pathfinders as Venture-Captain Armeline Jirneau ascends a podium erected outside the entrance to the Maze of the Open Road. “Welcome to Woodsedge, Pathfinders! Thank you for coming. As many of you know, the Maze of the Open Road is an interdimensional pathway built long ago by Forest King Narven Feathereyes as a gift for the Society. Time was not kind to the maze, but thanks to the efforts of Eliza Petulengro and other Pathfinders, it was repaired.
“Recently, the maze’s paths realigned and now all point to a single location. Our investigations indicate this isn’t a problem with the Maze of the Open Road but an outside source—a beacon—that’s attracting the paths. The maze is of critical importance to many missions and must remain available. Our mission is to fix this strange anomaly.
“We traverse the Maze of the Open Road to an unknown destination. Although this is an exciting opportunity to explore new horizons, our mission is not exploration. Our mission is to find the beacon and sever its connection to the Maze of the Open Road. Prepare yourselves! We leave shortly.”
After a few minutes to allow for any last-second preparations, Venture-Captain Jirneau leads the assembled Pathfinders into the Maze of the Open Road. ”Stay close, we won’t be here long.”
Armeline guides the Pathfinders through the maze with confidence, while Eando Kline, faction leader of the Vigilant Seal, takes the rear, ensuring no Pathfinders get left behind. Armeline hesitates only a moment before plunging through a shimmering portal, out of the Maze and into the unknown.
Following her lead, the Pathfinders arrive in a large stone chamber with red stone walls and polished tan floor tiles, lit by a luminous arch rising from a central raised platform. The chamber has three side chambers and one exit. “Fan out, Pathfinders!” Venture-Captain Armeline orders. “Secure the area.”
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The first thing you notice as you take tentative steps forward is that the grasp of the earth is much less wherever you have come to and it takes a bit to become acclimated to moving in the lessened pull.
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The arch in the chamber’s center is 15 feet wide, 25 feet tall, and constructed of a luminous crystal that sheds bright light.
One side chamber contains a fountain that pours water into a large stone washing basin.
Three rows of wooden hooks protrude from the stone walls in a line around the perimeter of another side chamber, one row at 3 feet above the ground, one at 5, and one at 9. A black wood bench is in the chamber’s center.
The entrance to a third, ovoid chamber is only partially blocked by a circular stone door, which slides in and out of the wall. The red stone chamber is completely curved, with no angles or hard edges anywhere.
The chamber’s massive exit door is made of pitch‑black stone.
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"By all means" Rilkin nods to Eltis' suggestion. He looks quickly about himself to make sure no-others have claimed the arch, but then moves towards it.
"It seems prudent to start at the heart"
He activates his Wayfinder for light, then draws his sword and shield in case creatures should emerge from the glowing crystal.
BEEEE BOOOOOOP!!!
Bull Market dashes through the portal - and sends his own "beacon" from the other side!
Bull Market watches his creator arrive, and begins testing out the new gravitic norms, hopping around, jumping with a less-loud CLANG and generally playing in his new environment!
Beep Blip Woooooo!!!!
The bulk of all creatures and objects is halved, meaning creatures acclimated to normal gravity can carry twice as much and jump twice as high and far. Physical ranged attacks are possible up to the twelfth range increment (instead of the sixth). A creature that falls in low gravity takes no damage for the first 10 feet of the fall, and then takes bludgeoning damage equal to a quarter of the remaining distance fallen.
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As Professor Serj arrives in the chamber, he seems to be announced once again as the small ball of flame and metal that announced his initial arrival. The smoke winnows away much quicker this time, as if but a nagging memory set to a barely audible ♫ Chukka-chukka-chukka-chukka.
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The magical detection spell is nearly overwhelmed. With minimal effort, Lady Alya and Eltis both confirm the crystal arch must be a powerful artifact, likely with a connection to another plane. Ashasar is drawn to it as well, and approaches.
"I wonder what is the significance of this portal... I'll examine it more. You all should scour the rest of this place. We may not be alone."
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Rilkin watches with interest as his allies study the arch for some magic he cannot comprehend. He studies it as well, but sees only stone and runes.
"What about this one?" he says after Ashasar speaks, indicating the alcove with rows of wooden hooks with his sword.
"It looks like it might be interesting..."
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Searching through that chamber, it comes up empty. Catching a glimpse of himself in a nondescript mirror on the wall, Rilkin swears his face bears the determined scowl of a defender but then returns to normal. An echo haunts his ears as well. Oh bloody hell I'm sorry about that.
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As the others spread about, Lady Alya moves around the partial blockage at the entrance into the ovoid chamber. She see that a large grey and blue container sits in the center of it, similar to a sarcophagus, constructed from metal and glass.
Serj wanders around looking for the tell-tale signs of soot or something that would make him not question his sanity quite as much. But all is clean as a whistle and all the echoes have faded for now. He moves over to the room Lady Alya has just stepped into and peers around the circular stone door semi-blocking the entrance to it. Why is she so carefully examining absolutely nothing in this obviously empty room?
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She says curtly to Serj as if talking to one of her staff who was acting acting up.
"Professor! focus on the task as hand and please keep your personal prejudices to yourself. After this, I will be more than happy to hear your rants over a drink at the inn. But right now, could you please have a look at that"
Then she points at thing she sees.
"and tell us what you think it could be"
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Peter activates his wayfinder, and has low-light vision.
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vs DC 20
"This is a dressing chamber which would have held clothes for creatures varying from Small to Large in size."
vs DC 15
"This is an ablution chamber, used to ritually wash before entering a sacred space."
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Peter follows the quibbling Professor and Lady to the room.
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She was an elf and short lived things like this highly strung Gnome came and went so fast. She would show him the highest contempt she could at his comments. The thing that would stop and elf in any noble court in their tracks with the shock of it. And would lead to ether them rushing off in shame or a duel to the death. She steeled herself. AND...
Lady Alya gives him a LOOK!!
and raises and EYE BROW at him!!.
O the horror!!!!!
Still looking at him she asks out loud.
"I'm I the only one who can detect a large grey and blue container made of metal and glass sitting there which looks very similar to a sarcophagus?"
She has detect magic running here as well.
…Bull Market goes to see what all the arguing is about!
Chirrup?
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Checking the mysterious box carefully, Lady Alya deems it safe enough and reaches to open it.
She feels nothing — her hand passes right through, causing the box to flicker in and out of sight rapidly. She hears a jumble of words — “for,” “me,” “no,” “run,” and “wait” among them — and then the box vanishes completely.
"Well, that's that. It's time to dig deeper into this place." Eando states, as the remaining Pathfinders in the chambers gather at the exit door.
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The pitch black exit door grinds open to reveal another small chamber beyond. There are six faintly glowing glyphs. Outside this new chamber’s exit, numerous branching halls and passages lead to the encounter areas.
The other groups of Pathfinders hurry off in various directions leaving one of the corridors for you to traverse first.
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The corridor winds about for a few dozen feet before reaching a set of doorways. The chamber beyond is bisected by a pair of pits. A wide path crosses them, connecting the north and south ends of the chamber. Three sets of what look like plate armor stand motionless between you and whatever lies in the pits.
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After following the others around warily in the outer rooms , Rilkin is more in his element here.
"Stay on your guard" he whispers.
"This place is haunted, and I don't like the look of that armour, or that strange voice. Let me check it out"
Stealthy, he moves in and around the armour, trying to get a peek into the pit to see where the voice is coming from.
Greenlit by his master, Bull Market does a sudden wheelie around Orange armor!
◆) Stride
SKRRRRRTTTTT~~~~!!!!