Triix finds that while her history is for the wrong planet, it is more applicable than she expects. It seems that there are enough commonalities between the behaviors of sentient races across time and worlds that she is able to follow references from Ralzeros’ arguments with another wizard to a tome written by Ralzeros entitled “Secrets of Pastlight”. Upon touching it, the book pulses in her grasp, and knowledge floods Triix’s mind. It grants her detailed knowledge on a ritual known as Sever from the Real that loosens this demiplane’s ties to the Material Plane.
Dexter applies his practical knowledge of the night sky and stars and is able to cross reference several tomes on the subject of pastlight and the light of distant stars that indicate this is but the first step in the pursuit of celestial knowledge. References to a book describing how to ward against the dangers found between the stars in the depths of the Dark Tapestry leads Dexter to a tome entitled ”Beyond the Stars”. Upon touching it, the book pulses in his grasp, and knowledge floods Dexter’s mind. It grants him detailed information on how to perform a ritual known as Rebuke the Starry Void that weakens the influence of alien entities.
The Rock easily perceives the threads of unnatural commentary running through the seemingly normal collection of works, and traces references to a tome entitled ”Unquiet Meditations”. Upon touching it, the book pulses in his grasp, and knowledge floods The Rock’s mind. It grants him insight into the inner workings of Ralzeros’ fractured mind. Inside the book, The Rock finds an unusual bookmark; a Dreamcatcher that Ralzeros once used to ward off misfortune. The carrier of this Dreamcatcher benefits from its magical protection while within the demiplane as if he was asleep.
Jaakko finds that with his trained athleticism and dexterity, he is able to easily acquire the books he needs regardless of how they twist space around themselves. With the books accessible, it is straightforward to trace his way to the most relevant tome, as each book contains a reference table discussing its relationship to every other tome in the section at the back. After a few books it becomes clear that the key tome to understanding the lore in this section is entitled ”Sacred Geometry”. Jaakko is able to reach it, and upon touching it the book pulses in his grasp, and knowledge floods his mind. It grants him detailed information on how to perform a ritual known as Attune Geometric Warding that reactives the demiplane’s wards against unnatural enemies.
Orenjii starts tracing through the works, building on a theory cross referencing the activities of the Dominion of the Black on Golarion across time with the historical record of the corruption of the major empires after Earthfall. After a time spent following references, Orenjii begins to suspect that events do not always seem to flow from past to present. The trail leads to a dead end at an irreconcilable paradox, when everyone feels a shudder pass through the library, as if a small tremor had struck. Somewhere far out of sight, a soft sound like something tearing echoes through the space. The mind shards of Ralzeros stop, turning to look at Ornjii with a pained expression, as each speaks, one rapidly after another.
”Weak.”
”Foolish.”
”Undisciplined.”
”Unused to learning.”
”She delves too deep into that which she does not understand.”
”It tears, it sees! Angles within Angles within the Corners of Spheres.”
The mindshards twitch twice, then freeze for a moment before returning to their perusal of the shelves.
Omar climbs the shelves, moving swiftly to grab relevant works before they can stretch and bend out of reach. He is able to snag a series of tomes, and while the paranoid ramblings are not particularly easy to follow, it becomes clear that the harder the shelves try to twist a book away the more important that book becomes to understanding the fate of those who study the Dark Tapestry. Seeing a particular book that seems especially evasive, Omar succeeds in climbing a writhing shelf and grabs it. When he touches it, the book pulses in his grasp, and knowledge floods his mind. It grants him insight into the dangers of the Dark Tapestry.
After Omar recovers the fifth book, all of the Pathfinders suddenly notice that there is a door in the wall of the library that was certainly not there before.
After reconvening to share their findings, the Pathfinders realize that the books psychically impart their contents to anyone who touches them, not just the first person.
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Discovered Rituals:
Sever from the Real
This ritual disrupts the connection between the demiplane and the copper gate, causing the tainted demiplane to irreversibly vanish into the Ethereal Plane within a few days time.
Requires two ritualists to spend 20 minutes performing the ritual, and make a DC 20 Knowledge:Geography or Planes, Spellcraft or Use Magic Device check.
Rebuke the Starry Void
This ritual weakens the influence of the Dark Tapestry, reducing its denizen’s effects on Mortal Life.
Requires two ritualists to spend 20 minutes performing the ritual, and make a DC 20 Knowledge: (Arcana, Nature Religion) or Survival check.
Attune Geometric Warding
This ritual reactivates the demiplane’s powerful wards.
Requires two ritualists to spend 20 minutes performing the ritual, and make a DC 20 Craft (any), Knowledge (Arcana, Engineering or Planes) or Profession (Architect) check.
Dexter and The Rock pair off and begin preparations for Rebuke the Starry Void. Ornejii and Triix move to the other end of the library and begin preparations for Sever From the Real, while Omar starts searching the fifth secion of the library with Jaakko.
As Dexter and The Rock finish their ritual, there is a burst of power and a hush falls over the library. It is hard to tell what impact it may have had, but there does not seem to be any indication that anything may have gone wrong.
Similarly, when Ornejii and Triix finish their ritual, there is a soft tearing sound that seems to reverberate through the library, but no other immediate effects.
Omar is tantalizingly close to following a lead through the section, finding repeated references to an entity listed only as "The Corners of Spheres" that has apparently allied with Ralzeros. He had difficulty making the critical connection until Jaakko points out an overlooked passage, and together they find a book entitled The Emissary. On touching the book, knowledge floods their mind regarding The Corners of Spheres and its interactions with Ralzeros.
After completing the rituals and investigating the last section of the library, the Pathfinders quickly consult and determine that Orenjii and Triix are confident they can correctly implement the Attune Geometric Warding. After performing the ritual in another 20 minutes, the library seems to slow its shifts and movements.
As the ritual finishes, The monstrous half of every statue in the Library animates, pointing accusingly at each Pathfinder. The wizard’s warped telepathic voice echoes throughout the chamber, demanding to know why the you have entered his domain. The mindshards look alarmed, then turn to look curiously at how the Pathfinders respond.
Ginger sees people disappearing and attempts to do the same. While big she has spent some time trying to be stealthy.
"Intruders! You cannot hide from me! I see you within the Angles of my library, and YOU SHOULD NOT BE HERE!"
The voice booms out in fury, and a telepathic assault bears down on each Pathfinder who did not successfully hide. This fragment of Ralzeros apparently does not deign to consider the animal companions an equal threat, as they are ignored.
Having performed the rituals and investigated all of the sections, the Pathfinders takes stock of their situation and move through the door that appeared after finding the rituals.
The Pathfinders find themselves in a strange laboratory. Arcane binding circles, containment fields for strange materials, glowing orbs pulsing with magical energy, orreries, telescopes, and furniture are scattered haphazardly through this abandoned laboratory. Blue mist flickers in and out of existence, creating superficial barriers that organize the space into disjointed suggestions of rooms. Though they just walked through a door to enter here, it seems that the door has disappeared, leaving only hazy blue mist covering the location where it was.
The blue mist provides concealment (20% miss chance) vs. anything not in the same area.
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The Rock effortlessly floats above the floor of the room in his Air Elemental form. He casts Barkskin (Extended) on himself and renews his Heightened Awareness spell from a wand. He also has Triix renew his Mage Armor spell from his wand for both himself and Ginger.
@GM 7thGate - How high are the ceilings in these rooms? My understanding is that 1 hour has passed since we entered this demi-plane.
Ginger looks around and sniffs the fog. If there are strangers that she might be able to smell she will alert the party.
The Pathfinders begin a methodical search around the periphery of the room, moving counterclockwise. The first room contains an empty binding circle, while the second contains a series of statues of Ralzeros in different spellcasting poses. The third room is covered in beakers and alchemical apparatus, but whatever they contained has long since evaporated away.
The fourth room investigated is small, and contains a desk facing a glowing green orb that occastionally arcs small amounts of lightning. Magical investigation does not reveal a clear purpose, but it may be for decoration or as a source of small shocks for various purposes. The fifth room is large, and contains the most interesting feature yet; a huge telescope that extends to the ceiling of the demiplane, merging into it. it extends the full height of the room, narrowing to an eyepiece in the center of a series of pillars that could be used for viewing.
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The skald pushes through the mist after each room is given a cursory look.
Let me know if any of you want to stop to check any of these. This room looks the most interesting. I am not sure what this optical device does, but might be significant.
He recalls the mission briefing...
"But we need to you find out what is making the connection to the Dark Tapestry, and stop it if you can. Anything you can do to help repair the demiplane or weaken the connection while you're investigating would be extremely helpful. And try to keep an eye out for anything else interesting."
He would cast detect magic to scan the shelves etc, but suspects the entire plane may radiate magic and mask any items of interest.
He he takes a momement to update his journal with a description the findings in each room once before moving to the next.
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"Astronomical observation is a well-respected divination technique. I hypothesize that this tool can be utilized for anticipating future events."
The android will take a chance with detect magic, then after either markin every source of magic in the room (or shutting it off due to a headache), put her eye to the telescope.
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Dexter shivers at the size of the telescope, "I don't think it's for divination. It's probably to search for whatever dark evil thing Ralzeros is looking for... and I'm not sure I want to look for it either."
The young gnome sighs, "But, it is our mission to find out. So maybe its worth investigating."
If Orenjii isn't driven mad or scream 'don't look ahhhh' by whatever they see, Dexter will take a peek too.
Detect Magic shows that there are many magical auras everywhere in this place, from a wide variety of schools. The Telescope in particular radiates Divination and Conjuration auras.
Ornejii looks through the telescope, and sees a vast, starry void as the magical telescope peers from the demiplane into the Dark Tapestry. It seems to go on to eternity, and far more of it is visible than should be; it feels like Ornejii can see in three dimensions, and fully grasp the vastness of the Dark Tapestry, filled with hundreds of billions of stars.
Within this darkness, a presence lies, an unnatural twisting within the void. Something peers back from the darkness, an unsettling presence that seems to see through Orenjii's eyes to rile through her thoughts.
Orenjii's mind stresses under the strain of the unnatural sensory input.
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The Rock sees the look of confusion on Orenjii's face. A look that he has seen before on others.
"Perhaps she will recover soon otherwise we can step in to assist her. Ginger can stop her but it will hurt her much more than a punch to the face."
The Rock and Ginger retreat as to not make themselves targets. The druid ascends 30 feet straight up in the air while his dinosaur moves to a corner of the room.