A surge of electricity sparks into Doc Bloodshanks. The coils redirect their energy and the orb of energy representing Lumna flows into the robot's tank. "Transferring complete. Accepting new host. Voice transcription active..." The robot's voice drones on for a bit before its speech matches Lumna's.
"The coils kept it safe enough for me to transfer... Sorry about the shock! I can help you with that once we leave the manor. There is so much electricity here."
You hear Gleam meowing and purring as he is reunited with an old friend. "Yeah boy, I'm here. I'm doing OK." Revecka opens the door with one hand while petting Gleam with the other. "I got everything I need. What happened down here?"
"It may have been part of the attack." Vilo's voice reverberates through the key as he hovers near Revecka like an overprotective chaperone. "But if your work here is complete..."
You leave the manor and return to the Lodestar Inn without any trouble. Lumna is like a wide eyed child, asking about the houses, the fact that people turn off their lights as the group passes them, and the large bird feathers that dot the countryside.
Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss can barely contain herself. "Well, what's your report? Who are these visitors? Did you find out where the psychic messages were coming from? The clockwork automaton is possessed. Also there's a ghost. Also there's a woman with a metal device sticking out of her chest!"
"Well, Revecka. The Pathfinder Society will provide the alchemical reagents needed to keep that ticker of yours up and running!" Evni's enthusiasm is only matched by her altruism. "We have many researchers in the society who would like to work with you in one or another. And we'll keep an eye out for Narcela." Upon hearing that name, Narcela seems to slightly relax.
Ziri has many questions for Lumna about their homeland, and Kamenya muses about their experience in this universe. Lumna assures them they will have lots of time to answer, but their concern lies with the whereabouts of the remaining Ardis Scholars.
Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss asked you to remain near Ardis, former capital of Ustalav. She has been busy repairing the Ardis Scholars' manor, calling agents to help with minor repairs and securing the village of Ilev from harpy thieves. Now Pathfinders are repairing and cleaning the site while she manages the operation.
Revecka has been collaborating with Society researchers to refine her self-made artificial heart, and that her health has been improving. She is the only Ardis' Scholar you've seen since investigating the manor. She's glad to be alive but she worries about her other teammates. She also worries about Narcela, a daughter of the Night Hag Aslynn, who is helping her and the Society keep track of the Night Hag's recent activities.
Today you return to Ilev. Most of the villagers are thankful for the Pathfinder Society and their assistance in protecting the region from thieves, as well as rebuilding some of the dilapidated homes. They hope to increase trade. The hermit Kitsur keeps to himself, but he decided fighting the Evil Entity directly wasn't worth the hassle. The Desnan priest Saban is helping to smooth relations between the locals and the Pathfinders.
The sound of hammering reverberates through the great hall of the manor as Pathfinder agents move in and out, arms full of construction supplies, paperwork, and strange technological items. Their work is overseen by a gnome tapping a finger on her pursed lips in concentration. Her messy brown hair peeks out from a blue turban patterned with a butterfly-shaped constellation of stars, which she distractedly pushes back from her eyes as she watches the comings and goings.
Once Evni notices you, she smiles and loudly invites you out to her carriage, where they can find some peace and quiet to discuss your mission.
|
Most of Itka's time since her last mission was spent studying the Shadow Plane, also known as the Netherworld. Membership in the Pathfinder Society comes with certain advantages, especially when one's work has been admired by their faction leaders. The requisitioning of books of lore went smoothly, allowing Itka to spend most of her time hunched over a book. It's the closest to happy she ever is, though the deeply furrowed brows and perpetual frown would seem to indicate otherwise.
|
Argoni busies himself with helping the Ardis Scholars and poking around the various contraptions and machinery. He sets up his alchemy lab near one of the electrical points and he successfully manages to capture some of the charge into his alchemical compounds, though twice, he's seen a bit bewildered with his hair standing on end and smoke drifting away from his alchemist's goggles.
On another day he's experimenting with some chemicals and mixing in shavings from the Ardis machinery when a powerful noxious smell is emitted and nearly the whole manor has to be evacuated for the stench. The halfling excitedly comments, "I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I can make a lot more of that!"
An ornate carriage sits in front of the manor. Blue curtains with silver stars and golden moons hide the interior, but it appears too small to contain more than its owner, Venture-Captain Evni Zongnoss, and perhaps one or two guests. However, when she opens the door, a wide-open wooden chamber awaits. Mismatched plush chairs sit around a gnarled wooden table on a lurid purple carpet. The table holds a strange metal-and-crystal key, a box full of unusual technological items, and a satchel. A strange creature that looks like >a feathered octopus made entirely of energy< hovers between two chairs.
Evni sighs with relief as she takes her seat. "That's better," she says. "The work is important, but it's noisy repairing all the damage from Aslynn's attack on the manor." Her smile fades as a hint of steel enters her voice. "That's why I asked you all to come today. As you may know, Aslynn captured a number of Ardis Scholars here. We're ready to rescue them!" She gestures to the figure made of energy and the key on the table. "With Lumna's help and the crystal key, we've been able to speak with one of Aslynn's children, Narcela, who's pretending she's loyal to her mother. Narcela told us the Scholars are being held in a floating fortress on the Shadow Plane, where they're being forced to develop technology for Aslynn. Not only is getting them home the right thing to do, but it could give us the upper hand against Aslynn!"
Lumna suddenly dives into the key, their energy absorbed like a sponge soaking up water. A quick series of telepathic images shows them using a device they call an "engine" from the Ardis Scholars' manor to focus their energy to transport the key, with their essence inside, and several people to a castle, then back. "So that's your mission," Evni concludes. "Go to this castle, find as many Scholars as you can and bring them home. Narcela will be waiting there to help you. She's risking everything, so bring her back when you return. Remember, your safety takes priority! If you run into anything you can't handle, come home, and we can figure out another way to get the Scholars and Narcela back."
|
|
It's bigger on the inside... Doc thinks as he enters. He nods to Lumna. "Hello, again."
He listens to the mission, and then asks, "What can you tell us about this Narcela? Or about the Scholars we are looking to rescue? How many of them, for example? Do we have any information about the state they're in? Is she torturing them?"