Agate takes a close look at the ice rune and jots down some notes before the party leaves. She seems to grumble less on the trip back, and takes a keen interest in Ainamuuren's tattoo magic and Svala's tales of her past archaeological trips. At Iceferry, though, she is already rummaging through her notes and making plans for her next excursion into the Pathfinder library in Absalom...
"The wand!" Agate shouts. "The one that Seshu gave us!"
Erlathan was the one examining it last it was mentioned, so I guess we should assume he has it?
Agate rushes in the direction of the new zombie, gauges the distance, and sends missles of force at it. Not quite in range for Scorching Ray, so Magic Missile it is.
Going with same set of prepared spells as before...
Knowledge (Religion):1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
"Watch out, they're poison!" Agate shouts as she rushes to the edge of the pit. She waves her snake scale around and the line of fire appears, moving through the spaces between the lines of the rune to touch three of the zombies.
Casting Fire Snake, trying to avoid the visible parts of the rune. Sorry about my terrible line-drawing, it keeps wanting to auto-complete the line to the border of any nearby counter.
Fire damage, DC 19 Reflex for half:9d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 4, 3, 6, 6, 3, 6, 4) = 42
Remaining prepared spells wrote:
Cantrips: Read Magic, Detect Magic, Spark, Prestidigitation
L1: Detect Undead, Magic Missile x2, Burning Hands x2, Protection From Evil
L2: See Invisibility, Scorching Ray x3, Protection From Arrows, Blur
L3: Tongues, Dispel Magic, Greater Stunning Barrier, Flame Arrow, Fireball
L4: Arcane Eye, Greater Flaming Sphere, Secure Shelter, Fire Shield
L5: Telepathic Bond, Fire Snake
Agate pulls a translucent scale from a pouch and sketches a design in the air. A line of fire springs up across the snow, rushing toward both bears to scorch them, before Agate retreats a little toward the trees.
"One week, not two, I believe," says Agate. "I think we should try to go to the giants. If the seal is already failing, we need all the help we can get. If we could just be clear on the protocols beforehand."
"It sounds like the Pilungak may be the undead that Svala reported," says Agate. "And the Saumen Kar, the tundra giants, might be our allies against them."
"What sort of gifts do the hunters leave for the Saumen Kar?" she asks Seshu.
Agate looks back and forth impatiently, then digs into one of her pouches. She pulls out a curious clay pyramid, which she touches to her forehead as she recites a spell. Casting Tongues on herself.
Then she speaks bluntly in Erutaki.
Erutaki:
"Svala Ice-Rider is known here, yes? We came here at her request. She's run into some kind of trouble further inland. We need to find out what you know about the place she found and then go to her aid. If you allow us in, you'll be helping her."
Agate rolls out of the water, ends her spell, gathers her things, and goes to find the rest of the party and find out who plans to interview the Erutaki.
Agate has two castings of Tongues prepared which she would be happy to cast on people more socially ept than her. If there aren't enough takers, she'll cast one on herself.
Agate stares in horror at the orcas racing toward the boats. She scoops up a handful of water, clutches her amulet in her other hand, and quickly murmurs some arcane words.
Using her 1 arbitrary spell for the day from her bonded amulet, to cast Elemental Body II (water).
Agate arranges to meet Shaneene with her own spellbooks belowdecks one evening early in the voyage. She quirks an eyebrow at the more unusual spells in Shaneene's collection.
"I'll trade you level for level," she offers.
Agate would like to copy Acid Arrow, Snowball, and Aram Zey's Focus, and will let Shaneene copy 5 levels of spells from her books in exchange. See Agate's character page for her full list.
"Magic I can provide," Agate says. "I'm not too familiar with the languages up there, but I know some bits and pieces that may help."
Agate has a wand of endure elements already which she is willing to use on everyone. She can prepare extra copies of Tongues on the day they plan to interview the elders if no one in the party speaks Erutaki.
A sallow dwarf bustles in. Her pack has taken on a distinct square shape from being crammed with her wizard's spellbooks. "Agate," she says, without ceremony. "Of Highhelm."
Agate is somewhat overwhelmed but manages finally to say, "I'm glad to see all the Sages restored and their wisdom saved. I hope to see Osirion growing brighter in my lifetime."
"Noble Sage," Agate says, "I speak to you from an age long after your own. Tahari is still in the world now, and we need your help. It would have been better if she could have been stopped sooner, yes. But turn away from the past, and you can stop her now!"
Knowledge (History), bonus for being in Osirion:1d20 + 15 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 15 + 3 = 36
"I am one of many who look to the Sages for guidance and seek to revive their knowledge to help Osirion. We need your knowledge as well. It will be lost if you do not break out of this dream to help stop her!"
"You ignored Tahari because you were serving Osirion, correct? So now you can serve Osirion and return it to glory by stopping her with your fellow Sages!"
Knowledge (History), bonus for being in Osirion:1d20 + 15 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 15 + 3 = 34
Trapped between the well of evil and the poisonous cloud, unable to reach the Sage Jewel, Agate watches the battle, preparing to act if she sees an opening.
Readied action: Lightning Bolt if Tahari emerges and she can get a clear shot.
Agate I am happy for you to use that boon on a mindscape skill roll. Do you want to use it in place of that sense motive check perhaps? You can use the same skill repeatedly in these mindscape challenges.
If you want to let me, sure. It would be a +18 bonus to the check (+15 for the basic skill plus Agate's +3 for being in Osirion; the bonuses noted on the character sheet for ancient sites only apply if the History check is specifically about the ancient site).
The boon in question is Scholar of the Sages (a 2018 convention boon). The relevant part says: "Once per adventure, when you are in an ancient site, you may roll a Knowledge (history) check in place of any other Knowledge check or in place of a Perception check pertaining to the site's structure."
"Think over the knowledge you have gathered!" Agate shouts in frustration. "It was truly yours!"
Knowledge (Arcana):1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
"Search your memories of the ritual! Aryana Tahari could never have supported the old ways so!"
Agate's brow furrows as she tries to think of another a way to convince the Sage.
Staying in the mindscape to keep trying. Questions for next turn: I have a boon relating to ancient sites, defined as at least 1,000 years old. Does the current site count, and does Agate count as being in the site when she is in the mindscape?
"Let's apply some logic to this situation," Agate says firmly. "Tahari killed an Osiriani paladin and then used him for her own ends. What respect would she have for the ancient rituals?"
"Don't you remember all the years you must have spent studying the papyri? I have tracked down and read only a little of the lore, and I know you are far, far ahead of me."
Right then, time for desperate and potentially stupid action.
Agate realizes it was only a wave of heat from the nearby fireball and concentrates. Hidden layers within her amulet begin to glow...
...and suddenly she is standing next to Sinuhotep.
Using the 1 arbitrary known spell/day from the bonded amulet to cast Dimension Door and hop to the other side of the gray area. Then she will try to enter Sinuhotep's mindscape.
Save vs. cloudkill, bonus vs. spells/poison:1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 2 = 22
You know what... I don't see any way the game Agate is currently in is going to finish by the 26th. I will take myself off the signup sheet for this game and see if I can sign up for something else with a different character. Sorry about this.
