As the purple psuedopod extends into the circle, Maren cries out in protest, while at the same time the floating orb bursts open. An impossibly larger body fills the summoning circle, expanding to stretch spidery legs across the broken ward. Six eyes vacillate horrific views back and forth across the party, spread over a treelike body.
Cursing, Maren casts an abjuration upon himself before the creature can act!
19 Triix
15 Kaervek
15 Shine
12 Maren
5 Xanac
4 Nggilth-Tsa
3 Oria
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Oria takes this moment to reflect on her actions and attempts to remember something useful.
The close quarters allows Triix to enhance the party, as Kaervek recognizes this aberration known as a yangethe, an immortal creature from beyond the stars!
19 Triix
15 Kaervek
15 Shine
12 Maren
5 Xanac
4 Nggilth-Tsa
3 Oria
With a loud pop, the creature disappears from this plane!
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"Well that wasn't what I had in mind!" Candledark hisses, his eyes popping back open to nearly tea-saucer size at Oria's actions.
"Ah...well. So much for 'reaching for the Stars'," He cackles softly at his own joke before continuing. "I saw its intentions: It - or THEY - seemed more interested in dissection than discussion."
"That was far too much excitement for my tastes, but you have my thanks for dealing with it so quickly." Maren leans back against the desk, smoothing his robes. "I do hope that you gleaned something useful from our guest before he departed."
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It all happened before Oria could even stand up. The shaman merely stumbled back clumsily, the creature that captivated her interest already banished from this plane. Then the reality of the situation comes in like a taught bowstring clapping the back of her head.
She just had to try and touch the caged monster. Summoning circle be damned. More and more she realizes she looks less like a scholar of the dark arts and more of an unsupervised child.
Oria reaches down to pick up her dropped familiar. "I.. I'm sorry." she manages. The words 'I didn't mean to' come to mind, but even she knows better than that. "We should take notes, in case we..." in case "I," more likely "in case we might forget something."
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Kaervek lets out a long sigh.
"Pheeeew. That was close. Good thinking casting that dismissal spell, Shine! That thing was... no, is very dangerous. In case you wonder what it is: It's called a Yangethe, an immortal creature from beyond the stars."
The elf turns to Maren.
"Master Fuln, are you alright?"
"Thanks to your friends quick actions, I am indeed." The mage turns and begins to arrange a few items on the desk, careful to avoid disturbing the beacon. "I had purchased a few things in addition to the scroll of binding, just in case. You are more than welcome to them as thanks for handling this incident. I even have a copy of Insights of Far-Seeing Taernis if you like."
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"That's very generous, Master Fuln."
Kaervek bows, then immediately starts to look inspect the items, especially the spellbook Insights of Far-Seeing Taernis.
"Wow, this tome is incredible!"
INSIGHTS OF FAR-SEEING TAERNIS (LEVEL 12 CONJURER)
These two books are part of a set held together with a leather strap. The covers are of a shimmering and unearthly blue leather, and the spines are built of silver and iron. The books are chilly to the touch, and staring at them induces minor vertigo.
Protection: Sepia snake sigil (Reflex DC 16)
Opposition Schools: Divination, necromancy
Value: 4,555 gp (6,355 gp with the preparation ritual)SPELLS
6th — getaway(S) APG, planar binding(S), summon monster VI(S), wall of iron(S)
5th — contact other plane(OP), life bubble APG, overland flight, teleport(S)
4th — acid pit(S) APG, black tentacles(S), dimensional anchor, lesser geas, phantasmal killer, solid fog(S)
3rd — gaseous form, greater magic weapon, magic circle against evil, sepia snake sigil(S), spiked pit(S) APG, stinking cloud, tiny hut
2nd — arrow eruption(S) APG, daze monster, dust of twilight(S) APG, fantastic reach UM, glitterdust(S), metabolize(S) UM, shatter, stone call(S) APG
1st — comprehend languages(OP), disguise self, jump, mage armor(S), magic aura, mount(S), sleep, stumble gap(S) APG, unseen servant(S)PREPARATION RITUAL
Sturdy Summoning (Su): A creature you summon gains augmented defenses for a short time. Spend this boon effect as a free action when you cast a conjuration (summoning) wizard spell. The creature you summon with that spell gains a number of temporary hit points equal to your caster level, and as long as the summoned creature has at least 1 of these hit points, it gains a +2 circumstance bonus on saving throws.
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I will take the scroll. Kaervek, you might be the only caster who can use that wand. I cannot. the cleric advises as she tucks the scroll into her sash. Thanks for your vote of confidence Triix. But we got lucky and now that spell is gone. It was of the highest level I could cast so without a night's rest I cannot attempt it again. I have no special training in penetrating spell resistance or pushing past a strong willed creature such as that, I can only say Sarenrae was with us.
The box closes around the floating sphere without incident, seeming to negate the hovering as it latches shut.
”I am well rid of that, given the circumstances. If there is nothing else you need of me, I will have to see about getting this room in order.” The distaste for the labor is obvious on Fuln’s face.
"Certainly not, this is apprentice work at best."
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"So, where are we going next? I'm guessing the Blackros Museum? We still need to box up the other one."
The slug crawling through her robes cuddles up closer, shivering. It can sense the concern building up inside of her. Every Pathfinder worth their rope has at least heard rumors about that place.
"Well, do we have time to rest up?" She already knows the answer, but the prospect of restoring her spells is tempting enough to chance a stupid question. "...Maybe we shouldn't sleep next to the spooky orb in the box."
Bidding farewell to the Arcanamirium as Maren Fuln seeks out some younger mages to clean up his mess, the walk to the infamous Blakros Museum is blessedly uneventful. When you arrive, the normally pristine ground level resembles a battlefield. Scorch marks and chipped tiles mar the floor, and corpses of bloated fungi and armored crab-like monstrosities litter the foyer amid pools of acid and blood. Shards of glass lie scattered around an empty exhibit pedestal in the main hall.
"Ah, Pathfinders. Exactly what I would expect of this day." Nigel Aldain, curator of the museum, manifests an evocation that strikes the last of the crab monsters. It dies with a shriek as the elf turns to regard you fully. "I would guess that you are here to deal with our beacon problem?"
"I had only just placed the artifact into its display case when Lady Imrizade arrived. She explained the sudden visit due to a bout of terribly debilitating headaches paired with bizarre dreams that urged her to come to the museum." He looks to the disarray in the entrance hall with a grimace. "I hardly had time to consider the significance when a hideously disfigured Garundi man carrying a sack barged in. He somehow projected the lumpy bag into the display and scattered the contents. Whatever it was, the beacon reacted badly to, conjuring the monsters you see laying abut here." He shakes his head in frustration. "We employed spellwork to slay some of the creatures, but the man snatched the beacon and fled with a handful of the alien beasts downstairs. Imrizade rushed after them despite my protests." He gestures to the open doorway ahead. "My prepared spells are spent. Can I trust you to follow after and ensure her safety?"
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Oria nods and readies her shield. She does a little count in her head to try and keep track of her ongoing magic. "Last call to cast preparatory spells, I suppose."
Not wanting to be caught off guard, the shaman taps into her reserve of spells to seek foresight and knowledge. Surely, after her last blunder, she's due for something less embarassing? While the concept has no name that she's aware of, the shaman quietly hopes to herself that the gambler's fallacy is real and working to her benefit.
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It may occur to some of you that you haven't seen Candledark in quite some time...
...but that disappearance seems to be more an artifact of his nature than any special effort.
As Candledark descends, he seem to fade from existence before your very eyes, as though he were a ghost! As he does so, he begins to move with unnatural speed!
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"Good call, Oria!"
Kaervek draws his assortment of wands and starts handing out buffs.
This spell imbues a single creature with great bravery and morale in battle. The target gains a +2 morale bonus on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks.
You enter a heightened state of awareness that allows you to notice more about your surroundings and recall information effortlessly. You gain a +2 competence bonus on Perception checks and on all Knowledge checks that you are trained in.
If this spell is active when you have to make an initiative check, you can instantly dismiss this spell and gain a +4 bonus on that check.
Casting your spells, the party makes way down the stairs to the lower level of the museum. The trail is obvious, leading to a wide door marked as storage. Attempting to open it, you realize quickly that it is stuck.
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Candledark emits a barely-audible scoff. "Well that's a little prosaic, isn't it? It'll take more than a door to stop ME...!"
With that, his already-etheric form suddenly becomes dramatically moreso, before vanishing from view entirely, and you notice a momentary gust of...something go under the door...!
You can see the prone form of Lady Imrizade further into the room, just at the edge of your darkvision. A heavy wooden bar blocks the door behind you shut, splintered with age.
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It looks heavy but not locked in place, so it could be tipped out of the iron rests loudly or lifted and set down quietly in a round.
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Kaervek sighs.
"Well, I have a wand that can make a humanoid bigger for a minute - and one gets a little stronger, too. If Xanax doesn’t find a way to open it from the other side, we can try brute force."
And if that doesn’t work, I'll have to use my ring to cast bull's strength from my spellbook, too. Although I'd rather save that ability for emergencies...
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Oria lets out a tired sigh as an ally goes ahead. "Well... I hope he can't be stopped by whatever he's trapped in that room with right now." she says, giving Xanac just enough time to stew in the consequences of his actions.
Or so she imagines. For all she knows, he could be drinking deep from a well of dark power. Which would be fitting, considering her luck.
The shaman presses against the door and makes an attempt to open it, despite her modest frame and shrimp-like posture.
Oria presses against the door, feeling a slight give accompanied by the cracking of wood, but the door remains shut. The sound of spellcasting can be heard deeper in the room, in a voice that clearly isn't Xanac's.
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Xanac. It's Triix. Everything okay?. You can reply to this message
As Oria pushes against the door, she notices a shifting of weight on the other side...a moment later, the door seems MUCH lighter.