GM Sior's Temple of Empyreal Enlightenment (PFS #3-21, Table 2) (Inactive)

Game Master Sior

You open the doors when no one answers revealing a good sized entryway.

The floor here contains an engraved Spiral of Korada, but the spiral is badly scuffed from centuries of traffic. The Spiral of Korada retains a trace of magic despite its age and disrepair; as you enter, the center of the spiral produces a weak mote of light that drifts up the ceiling and dissipates.

There are multiple egresses from the room, plus you distinctly hear the jingling of small bells coming from elsewhere in the temple.

From his spot in the back of the the entryway, Soren calls out.
An alarm perhaps? We should be wary.

He doesn't let go of the arrow he has nocked, but he lets the tension out of the bowstring.

"Seems kind of odd that an abandoned temple would have a bell on the door that still works," Silas says to anyone or no one. "Hello?" he calls out.

Arion points at the leftmost exit. "Shall we?"

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Dario takes out his journal and begins sketching the symbol, noting the light and the bells. He glances at Arion. "Yes, yes. I think left will suit. Let's find the meditation room and the library."

Going through the door to the left you see what looks to be a storage room. It contains mundane stores that include blankets, bandages, tools, empty barrels and crates, some wooden stools, several empty shelves, and rolls of white cloth.

Arion searches the room.

Perception: 20 + 5 = 25

Nothing more of note is located here.

Arion shrugs and looks at the others. "Your turn."

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As Arion spends several minutes going through the storage room, looking for anything interesting, Silas tries the double doors to the north. "Anyone here?"

Soren keeps his bow trained on the doors Silas is about to open.
Ready action to fire if an enemy pops out.

Dario follows Silas, obviously interested more in the possibilities of the next room than the storeroom Arion has found. He nods to the Nagaji as he opens it.

Will someone please move Soran up two squares so he has a clear shot at the door.

Quint moves up to peer beyond the door.

Opening the double doors, you see a large dining room table with a young woman in white robes laying plates and dining utensils. Her robes jingle with the familiar sound of bells as she moves.

"Oh! You must be travellers. Have you come to seek knowledge of our lord Korada? Ah, of course you have. Why else would you be here? I am Di Duang. Is there anything I may to to aid you?"

To the left are some curtains with a small alcove behind while doors are spread around the walls.

"Oh," Silas says in surprise. If she was right there, why didn't she respond? "We were told this temple's been abandoned. How long have you been here?"

Soren lowers his bow, and lets the tension out of the bowstring, but keeps his arrow nocked. He walks forward to stand beside Silas, but it's only to give himself a clear shot if the woman turns out to be an enemy.
Please place Soran in the square directly in front of Dario. Thanks! :)

Indeed, we were told no one was here. And you seemed surprised by us, even though we triggered some sort of alarm when we entered. Do you live here?

Continue to hold readied attack in case she does anything suspicious.

Strictly, you cannot ready an action outside of combat.

"I have been here for some time now. Though, it was once abandoned until Dakang brought us here to study our lord Korada."

A confused look crosses the woman's face. "Alarum? We don't have any alarums here." Then comprehension. "Oh! Do you mean the mote of light from the sigil out there? That is not an alarum! It does that every hour on the hour. It is a means of time keeping within the temple walls.

"But yes. I do live here, as do the others who seek knowledge of the Open Hand of Harmony. Indeed, I was just setting the table for our daily meal. You are welcome to join us if you seek knowledge of Korada, or if you merely seek a rest as you go on your way. I am sure Dakang would not mind."

Right, I forgot about that. No worries.

Arion, finished with his inspection, walks into the room. He doesn't see the woman at first, focused on the ceiling decor. When he sees her, he blinks. He looks at his companions. "What's going on?"

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The woman chuckles at Arion's bewilderment. "I was just inviting your friends to dine with us. You may partake as well."

With that, she sets the last fork on the table, having made room for you all during the discourse. "There, all ready. I suppose I had better summon everyone here. It is almost time."

Arion cocks his head at the word "summon" but says nothing. He looks at the far corner of the room and chews on the inside of his cheek, lost in thought.

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Quint squints an eye at the woman as he was expecting a confrontation and not a dinner. What are we having?

No one with Sense Motive? We're all gonna die...

Dario is beside himself at finding a worshipper in the temple. "Di Duang, I am Professor Dario Westone. I am very pleased to meet you. My friends and I have come to learn about Korada and your religious practices. I'm a scholar, you see, and I'm trying to learn about all the religions in the world. I would love to join your group for a meal and get a tour of the temple!"

We're all gonna die...

At Quint's question, she smiles. "The bountiful harvest bestowed on us. Fruits and nuts to keep us nourished and strong. Korada provides us with that which He knows will be of best use to us, and always gives in abundance."

She picks up a small bell and rings it three times. Its chime is unusually loud and it reaches the furthest halls of the temple. "There, Brother Dario. The fellowship shall meet us here, and I'm sure someone would be happy to take you to the library once we've finished. Please, feel free to take whatever seat you desire."

In short time, 9 others join you in the refectory and are surprised by visitors

Two human men and one human woman, introduced as Zhuang, Hamada, and Ziya, enter the room stretching. "Ah, a wonderful meditation for the Empyreal Lord followed by a bountiful meal. And visitors, too! Truly this is a glorious day!"

A young woman enters, rubbing her eyes. She is introduced as Miriya. "A blessed break. If I look at the scrolls any longer, I will start seeing Korada Himself sitting beside me. And not in the good way, Zhuang."

Finally, a dirty-looking gnome known as Gastidem holds open the door for a female halfling, Liso, and her three sons, Xifen, Pulao, and Tamtei.

No one seems bothered by the fact that there is no food at all on this table.

Zhuang rises then and raises his hands, palms upward. "Now that we are here, let us all bring our minds to who has called us here. We sit at this time to reflect on the truth that we all know in our hearts, for our needs are few, are wants are none, and all is supplied for our bodies and minds. Korada will provide."

"Korada will provide!" echoes the group.

At that moment, bowls full of nuts and grain, platters of fruits, and pitchers of juices fill the table. It is enough to feed almost twice as many of you! Everyone happily tucks in, offering each of you something before placing it on their own plate if you decline.

One of the young halflings grabs three plates, fills them with food, and leaves the room to offer to the guards who remain at their posts.

Everyone is quite friendly and willing to talk about anything, so take advantage of the time to get to know everyone or mingle.

Caught completely off guard, Soren can't help but be terribly suspicious of everything going on. However, as none of them seem threatening at all, he places his arrow back in its quiver and lowers his bow.

When all of the people sit and begin eating, he declines any offers of food, maintaining that he ate a large meal before coming, in preparation for whatever he would have to face in an abandoned temple, which is what he was told he was entering.

After a few moments, he speaks to the Lady that summoned everyone.
Di Duang? My name is Soran, and I was hoping to speak with you about the one that brought you all here, this Dakang fellow. See, we entered this Temple through a tapestry that functions as a dimensional storage space. How did you all come to be here? And you mentioned guards... We saw none when we arrived. I'm sorry if I sound overly suspicious, but this... All of this... It's not what we were expecting. Please, tell me everything about how you came to be here, why you're here, and what your purpose is. I'm sure the people I work for would love to hear of it. They are an organization that seeks knowledge, and I'm sure your story and your experiences here are something that they would value very much.

He leans casually against a wall while he speaks.
Damn, but that spread looks and smells delicious! I can't trust it though, not yet. This is all too weird....

Arion smiles at the newcomers and joins them at the feast. Although he puts food on his plate, he becomes too distracted to eat any of it. He turns to the gnome, So how did you come to be here?

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 19
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Knowledge, Arcana: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11
Knowledge, Religion: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Dario gasps as the food suddenly appears in front of them. He scribbles furiously into his journal, noting the prayers and ritutals of the meal. He watches the delightful company fill their plates in a display of hospitality. Quite generous and well-mannered! As the halfling takes food to the guard, the Professor cocks his head slightly.

"He's taking food to the guards? We didn't meet any guards along the way. Where are they? It soudns like we were woefully underinformed about who might be here. How many are there? And you mentioned a 'Dakang' brought you here? I would love to hear about that journey too"

As he gathers food to eat in front of him, he glances down. "And of course, I must ask where this all comes from!" He chuckles. "I apologize for my questions. I told you I am a scholar."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

Well I guess I could eat some. It'd be rude to refuse, now that it's been offered. Silas fills a plate and sits beside Zhuang. "Hi, I'm Silas. My crew and I are from the Pathfinder Society, and we're checking out the temple. The Society thinks it's been abandoned for a long time. I was told that someone named Dakang brought you here? Can we talk to him? "

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Everyone starts eating with must hunger and satisfaction. They do try to answer your questions as best they can.

***Soran & Dario***
Di Duang listens to Soran and Dario and does her best to answer everything. "We all have come through various means, either trying to escape or simply exploring somewhere new." She goes into a long story about her own experiences which led her here, filled with many cliches of the lost youth. The details are unimportant, truly. "As for the guards, there are many who would see Dakang harmed. So they stand watch to protect him. They are rather pleasant, even when turning people away. Besides, would have felt welcome here if the first thing you saw were angelic guards standing at the doors?" She laughs/giggles at her statement.

"There are those of us here that you see, then the three guards, and Dakang himself. He does not join us for mealtime as Korada provides him the nourishment he needs without the profane act of eating."

After a moment, she thinks. "If it's knowledge you want, you should probably check the library, or stay and listen to one of Dakang's lessons."

As for Dario's final question, Di Duang simply smiles and points her hands at the spread. "Well, Korada will provide."

Dario has no idea how the food materialized or from whence it came.

***Arion***
The gnome, Liso, says that she came here with her husband and three sons some time ago. Since then, her husband has since passed away. She is rather emotional about speaking of him.

***Silas***
Zhuang speaks between large bites of a plump juicy fruit. "Well, we all come here for our own reasons. I like to think Korada guides us and uses Dakang to lead us and improve us. He is in his office right now, I imagine. But he will be giving his lesson to us later today if you are interested. He may even take a shining to you and invite you back to speak with him. He is a very busy man, you see, so his time is important. Such is the way of things with prophets of a god."

Did I miss anyone?

Quint declines the food as he smiles. No thanks! I just had a divine feast before we left.

He sits and listens to everyone. Yes, would you be able to show us the library?

Arion's face becomes sympathetic. "Oh no. I'm so sorry to hear that. What happened to him? Was it here in the temple?"

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***Arion***
She tries to answer but starts sobbing into her food. One of her sons leans towards you. "She still ain't gotten over it. Took his own life in the next room over. Only place there're knives. Was months 'fore she could even come in here. So maybe questionin' more on it ain't the friendliest thing to do, serrah."

Arion frowns, unsure what to say to the woman's tears other than I'm so sorry. He turns to the son. Oh, that's terrible. He looks at the tablecloth and says, as if he were alone in the room Why would he do that, I wonder?

Dario is clearly excited about the prospects of seeing the library. "Yes, access to your library would be excellent! Perhaps a tour of the entire building too. I hear temples of Korada have meditation rooms where much of your practice goes on. I would be greatly interested to see one and watch a meditation session. Also, you hear of gardens where worshippers practice quiet contemplation. Do you have one here?"

Silas nods. "Yes, we'll definitely want to hear him talk later. No doubt he's a great leader, bringing such a large group here."

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Sorry about the long absence, my posting rate will be pretty reduced for some time due to real life. Please tell me if that's too big of a problem to cope with, I'll understand.

"It's refreshing to meet so many fellow worshippers here," Golthune says warmly.

Soren smiles at the Lady.
Well, it's good then that peaceful people like you have found a good refuge and a good leader.

Then his face grows somewhat somber.
May I ask, however, if you and your people would mind if we carried out our mission from our organization? They are all harmless tasks of observation and note taking, I assure you.

***Soran & Dario***
Di Duang points to the man talking to Silas. "Zhuang will most likely head back to the meditation room after the meal, so he may be able to point you to the library on the way. I don't see why we'd object. This place is for learning and meditation, after all."

***Arion***
The woman is lost to her emotions, barely picking at her food now. The same son replies with no small amount of sarcasm. "I dunno, let's ask him. Oh, wait, ya can't. He's..." instead of saying the word, he grasps his throat and makes an exagerated choking noise before shaking his head and returning to his meal.

***Silas***
"Indeed," the Tien man responds. "He has shown his wisdom on many occassions. It is up to us to rise and aspire for it for ourselves."

In an effort to change the subject, Arion turns to Gastidem. "So. How about you; how did you come to be here?"

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Soran smiles.
Well, in that case, you have our appreciation. May I ask, is it permissible for us to catalog and take charcoal rubbings of the crypt? It is part of our mission.

He thinks for a second, and then speaks again.
While we are here... Is there anything we can help you with? I feel as though we are intruding...

Dario nods as Soran asks about the crypt. "Ah, yes, it would be interesting to see the crypt too. But I think the library would be an excellent place to start."

What do we think? Split the party or no?

Getting the scenario done faster at the cost of weakening the group? Might work out, we have enough survivability if we play it smart.

***Arion***
Gastidem waves a hand about as he talks around a mouthful of food. "I been here near 12 years now. Barely even remember a life before this. Now I just tend the gardens and faxi... fassi... fa-sil-i-tate, yeah, that's the word! I facilitate the 'Kiss of Korada' for the supplicants and devotees." His voice takes on a proper Taldane accent with those last two words, trying to sounds more fancy than he is. He chuckles and returns to his food. "You interested in tryin'"

***Soran and Dario***
"Of course!" she exclaims. "We don't normally go into the crypt much cept to keep it tidy and dusted, but if it's knowledge you're after, there's no better place than this place.

"And don't worry. We don't ask for things in exchange for knowledge. Knowledge is its own gift, and aiding in it is its own reward."

From a few spots down, the other female human comments "You have Dakang's sermons memorized, don't you?"

In a fit of giggles, the two women toss handfuls of nuts at eachother before apologizing if any got in your clothes or hair. Still smiling, they calm down and continue their meal and conversations.

I'm always for splitting the party *innocent look*

Arion's eyes widen.

"The um, the uh, the what now? What's that?"

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***Arion***
"The Kiss of Korada. It's a sacred ritual called where a devotee puts his hand into the mouth of the celestial turtle statue I keep up in the garden and receive inspirational visions. Or so I been told. Ain't experienced it myself yet."

"That sounds... profound. Why haven't you done it yet?"

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After pausing a moment, Arion says "Who here has done it?"

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"Oh, I done it, just never been able to receive the visions. Guess I ain't worthy." At his admission, two of the halfling boys snigger at his unworthiness. The third rubs his hand where, upon closer inspection, his right index finger would be. "Yeah, laugh it up, ya slips," he says to the laughing duo in a jesting voice. "You may have gotten your visions, but at least I still got all ten!" He wags his digits at them teasingly before setting back down in front of his empty plate. He contemplates refilling it but decides against it. "Everyone here tries it. Everyone's got different results. Korada gives as He gives, or keeps what He keeps. Or whatever Dakang says."