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Again able to speak, Kiti the leopard chats about next steps.
"So we have one part, and another part. We didn't meet yet Priestess Isa? Do you know where Isa is? Is there some kind of secret place somewhere?" she asks the monk.
"Did we look everywhere? The tunnel was the strangest place, but it just went to kitchen. Why did they take only the middle part? Should we look at the tunnel again?" she says.
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Nothing is found in the tunnel. It runs from the meditation chamber to the kitchen and, when reminded of that, Pradnyara remember that's the old tunnel that novices would use to sneak food from the pantry when they were supposed to be meditating and fasting. It's been there for as long as she can remember. Of course she insists she was a good paladin and didn't partake in such activity. The tunnel lies only 5 feet below ground level and runs under the courtyard (indicated by the dashed lines on the map)
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"Well, all that's left is the temple now. High chances are we will encounter whoever has the remaining page in there, so let's get ready."
Before opening the temple's door, VSBR will wands himself with Heighten Awareness, casts Magic Circle against Evil from scroll on F91. Extended Shield of Faith(with Anoiting Oil) and See Invisibility, Resist Energy(fire, cold, electricity), Death Ward sharing with F91, extended Acute Scense, and extendedCoordinated Effort to share Shake It Off feat with F91, Tippa, and Carlin. He will also has Carlin wands Mage Armor on himself and Tippa.
Then he's ready.
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"I am all ready. And so is Mimi. I have still many bamfs, if cat is bad there. But then Mimi would be bad. Why don't the gods give monks magic, only priests? They have temples and do templing there? I can make one animal really big, but that can wait until we see what is there. It worked well last time I bigged Mimi. Maybe they have an altar for books there", Kiti chatters as she follows VSRB to the temple door.
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Seeing everyone rattle off spells, Guy decides he had better do so or risk being embarrassed. Of course his idea of a buff is to cast sanctuary on himself, which will probably expire before there is actually a battle (he also uses 5 doses of Cold Iron Alchemical Power Components to buff the resistance to dispels :)
He also gets a mage armor case on himself (by Carlin) from his wand, if she is willing, and offers to let her use a charge on herself.
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Once you are all set, it is an easy matter to enter the Temple, especially since you have the key.
This huge temple encloses a peaceful, echoing space. A faint aroma of old incense lingers here. Polished blue flagstones decorate the floor. Where the walls meet, the corners curve gently so that nothing jars the eyes. At the temple’s center, a round wooden pillar rises out of the floor, stretching up to support the roof ninety feet above. Bizarrely, the pillar bristles with a motley collection of lumber, as if someone were building some horrific mockery of a tree. Joists, beams, a door, and a ship’s figurehead—an angel holding twin scythes—all hang off the pillar like branches. Thousands of scrolls and books hang from every surface as if they were leaves.
Between the door and the pillar sit four priests —two men, and two women—
facing one another as if in meditation. In front of each is a teacup.
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Although haunts function like traps, they are difficult to detect since they cannot be easily observed until the round in which they manifest. Detect undead or detect alignment spells of the appropriate type allow an observer a chance to notice a haunt even before it manifests (allowing that character the appropriate check to notice the haunt, but at a –4 penalty).
"Any evil shenanigan popping up in your radar?" VSBR asks the paladin as he scans the room.
"And let's just assumed they are either mind-controlled or seriously misled as well. Seems like a popular trend in this monastery."
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Guy activates his Aura of Heroism (Su) and examines the structure, figuring this is some kind of twisted religious ceremony.
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VSBR turns to ask the paladin something - and discovers she's back in the courtyard dealing with all the bodies you left there.
After clearing the tunnel Wyrgan joins the others in preparing to enter the temple. As soon as they enter the structure Wyrgan will spend time detecting evil to get a better sense of where this elusive foe may be.
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Guy looks up to find the haunt. "That thing is way out of my reach with a simple channel. Until it comes closer, there is nothing I can do."
But after thinking for a while he adds, "I could use my bonded holy symbol to cast pillar of life! That should do the trick!"
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With satisfaction Guy watches the haunt dissipate.
"There. That will do just nicely."
He seems almost surprised when the monk comes out of the reverie and Guy looks at the others to see if they come out of it too.
"Parlay? I'm always ready to talk instead of fight. What did you want to parlay about?"
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A little miffed and not quite ready to do any diplomacy, Guy defensively points or "That was a haunt. Haunts are evil and bad. I got rid of it. My divinity riddled sack of flesh did that. Any you are?"
If someone is going to try diplomacy, Guy will move next to them and use his Touch of Glory ability to give them a +11 while saying, "And now he is too! Nice, huh?" At the moment his is feeling verbally insulted and is not interested in talking nice.
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Wyrgan nods at Tippa "Well met Jathyl, I am Wyrgan, servant of Ragathiel and these are my companions. We have been uneased at what has occurred here at this monastery. Can you shed some light as to what has transpired here? And also we would like to know how to help you finish your journey in peace to the next plane. We would like to assist you if we can since you did not outright attack us, which we thank you for." he says to the ghost...
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Jathyl, in a tone of bitterness, tells you how she sacrificed herself to save her forest from an incoming blight - by turning the peninsula into an island to cut it off from the mainland. But now, all the trees are gone, felled by the monks, and the tallest pine, that had been her home, had been turned into a pillar of wood.
I vowed to restore my tree, by retrieving every bit of it that had been taken. I am the rightful owner retrieving what is mine! You mortals stole from me when you stripped her branches, severed her to half her height, and flayed her to half her girth. You’ve chopped and carved and pulped, disfiguring and destroying her flesh. Know that I feel every cut of your saws, every nail you impale. I feel every ridiculous word you scrape with your irritating quills. From all across Golarion your precious knowledge flows across my skin.
I am a being of life, not disease and death. The First World has come to this island and it reforms my essence. It renders me immortal.
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"Well I'm neither sadistic nor vegetarian so please don't include me in your generalization and extrapolation of.....humanoid."
"And this is Golarion, not the First World, unfortunately."
"As you probably know, we are only here to seek the manuscript, and you probably know where it is. And I'm not against you restoring your forest here, we even knocked down a few monks for you. What do you want from us? Do you seek vengeance against the monks who cut your trees? Or do you need help regrowing the forest?"
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Guy rubs his chin thoughtfully, wondering if there is some miracle he could call upon that would help. Naturally he came prepared for a fight so nothing handy right now.
After adding another touch of glory, this time to himself, Guy lectures the creature.
"The thing is that what you are creating here is a poor substitute for a live tree. I'm not sure what the solution is but vengeance and/or rebuilding the tree like 'that' is not going to help. Yes, mankind does harvest, and sometimes over-harvest from nature. We have druidic orders that try to keep that in check. In many cases simple harvesters are convinced to work with the druids to produce a more healthy balance. My suggestion would be to get the druids involved and resolve to replant and rebuild your forest. It CAN be done, starting with a seed from your tree if you have one. You would be amazed at what humankind can do when they are motivated, both for evil and good."