The Forgotten God (Table 1)

[GM Rednal]

Midfoviing nodded, and turned to keep watch as you approached the workers. As your detection spell came within range, you could tell that they were under some kind of enchantment effect - likely what was causing them to ignore you and single-mindedly work on... whatever it was they were actually doing.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"It is as I though, they are enthralled to something, but what are they doing cutting this channel? It could be there is something precious here or that the one who is commanding them is in search of something. Let us not interfere, but search for a way to break this."

So, went from B9, to B6. Now let us go check out the large building at B7

[GM Rednal]

A cracked crystalline dome surrounded by overgrown, walled courtyards rests here in ruined splendor, precariously supported by intricately curved columns. Smashed doors of coral open into the pervasive gloom within. Inside, the crystal dome reveals a remarkably clear night sky. Dozens of glowing metallic globes, spheres, glyphs, and crystal lenses circle in swirling orbits around the room, some held together in corroded metal mounts. Periodically, a lens pauses, briefly concentrating the light of some distant star upon one of the glowing glyphs circling the perimeter of the massive orrery.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"What is this place."

Hadran begins to look around with a bit of wonder. He searches using detect magic.

Perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (12) + 16 = 28

[GM Rednal]

Looking around, you eventually spot some floating steles that seem to have been written in the old Azlanti tongue - it's hard to tell with the language barrier, but they certainly look like some kind of instructions.

Perhaps more immediately relevant, the entire orrery radiates powerful - and unstable - magic. Every now and then, a discharge is flung off in a random direction, and you observe events like blasts of lightning, suddenly-accelerating spheres, and brief warps in space. It's only a matter of time until one of those heads your way, but if you actually want to find out what this does, you'll need to stick around and study...

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"Midfoviing their is arcane energy being released all over, stay here where it is safe. This thing seems active. It could have something to do with what is going on. I will need to study it."

With that being said Hadran enters and begins to try and figure out how to operate this thing keeping his detection of magic active.

What rolls do you need?

[GM Rednal]

Linguistics or a language-understanding spell if you want to read the stele. Spellcraft and 1d4+1 hours if you want to try and understand the orrery enough to shut it down - there's a cumulative chance of something happening the longer you stay. XD

[Hadran, The Fallen]

I don't think Tongues works right? It says speak and understand any language, but does that imply spoken language or written word as well? If it does work Hadran will cast it to read the stele. What do you know I have Use Magic Device. I guess I missed seeing it with the abbreviation of U.M.D I wasn't so dumb ;)

Linguistics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26 If Tongues doesn't work.

Trance: 1d6 ⇒ 6 Rounds

Spell Craft: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (12) + 29 = 41

Hours spent: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

[GM Rednal]

Tongues only works on spoken stuff. Also, good thinking on Focused Trance... I honestly didn't think you were gonna make this check the first time around. XD Just goes to show one shouldn't underestimate a god.

Trap Chance, Hour 1 - 40% and below is good for you: 1d100 ⇒ 93
Trap Chance, Hour 2 - 40% and below is good for you: 1d100 ⇒ 17
Trap Chance, Hour 3 - 40% and below is good for you: 1d100 ⇒ 48
Trap Chance, Hour 4 - 40% and below is good for you: 1d100 ⇒ 33
Trap Chance, Hour 5 - 40% and below is good for you: 1d100 ⇒ 39
2d6 ⇒ (6, 5) = 11

In your first hour of studying the Orrery, a blast of light from it struck you, turning you invisible, silenced, and confused for a couple of rounds. Midfoviing freaked at that, and it took almost ten minutes of reassurance once the effects vanished to get her settled again. During the third hour, another ray hit you and you rapidly blinked in and out of existence for a few moments. Both effects were extremely powerful... but as you passed into mid-afternoon on the island, you'd finally managed to figure the darn thing out.

Eventually, it becomes clear that the orrery is (somewhat erratically) focusing concentrated starlight on a series of glyphs, and attempting to damage it would be a Very Bad Idea - but you were able to deduce the method of shutting it down. The problem? You needed a great crystal lens to do that safely... and the only one in the building was lying shattered on the floor. The glyphs were actively powering some sort of effect on the island, though, and some part of your divine instincts could tell they weren't anything good. There might be a lens elsewhere, though... and if you could find it, you could shut this orrery down properly. There might be some information somewhere on the island... if you could find (and read or hear) it.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

So the question. Is the great crystal lens magical? In not I could gather the pieces and with some time mend them together. Too bad Beseth dropped she had make whole :(

Hadran takes a moment to examine the broken crystal for traces of magical energy. If it is a mundane device that focuses light he can fix it after gathering the pieces.

[GM Rednal]

The lens itself doesn't seem magical... although it's hard to tell if it was mundane in the first place or if whatever had broken it had simply caused any magical power to fade away. Of course, there's also the possibility of an imperfect repair job causing some sort of problem with the Orrery... it's clearly malfunctioning somewhat as it is, and adding additional instabilities could consequences.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran looks and thinks over the destroyed crystal. After a few moments he decides with his vast knowledge not to risk rebuilding and imperfect crystal and to search for another on the island first.

Will head out and continue searching and exploring area's we have yet to go to. Most likely hitting B8 next coming out and going counter clockwise around the island.

[GM Rednal]

Stepping outside was probably a good idea. Nothing remains of the Armillary Tower but crumbling, broken walls; its upper levels were long ago destroyed. However, a dark shadow passes overhead as the tumbling top of the ruined steeple floats in its perpetual orbit above the island, narrowly missing the tower’s ruined foundations. Watching for a few minutes, the tower seems to be floating in a loop - at its highest point, it's only ten feet above the foundations.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran pulls out the climber kit. Damn, I hate I need to use such mundane methods. I truly miss my wings. The readies the rope and hook.

"Midfoviing I am in need of your aid again. Fly the hook up and secure it. So that I may climb up and search the floating ruins."

He hands the hook to her and lets out slack enough for her to fly it up. Once attached he will climb up.

Taking 10 should get him up easy enough. Give a 22 to climb.

[GM Rednal]

Midfoviing nodded and darted upwards. Apparently, this wasn't going high enough to toss her around like a leaf, and it didn't take long to secure the rope. That was good, because the whole structure didn't stop moving away from the ground as you climbed.

There's a lot of rubble in the building, including what look like old relics. There's also some stairs in the northeast, about fifty feet away. Although given the jostling of the tower, you'll want to be careful on your way over...

The area is actively dangerous, and you must make a DC 15 Climb Check to safely travel at half speed. If you fail, take 2d6 points of damage. Due to the imminent danger and rough nature of the area, you cannot Take 10 on this check. I'm a little surprised it's Climb instead of Acrobatics, but that's what the book wrote. XD For... climbing over the rubble, I guess. Make four successful movement checks if you wanna search the area, plus Perception.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Sorry bad gout attack in my dominant hand kept me from work and the keyboard yesterday still not 100%

climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (15) + 12 = 27
climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21
climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (7) + 12 = 19

perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33

[GM Rednal]

Rather fortunately, you seemed to be doing well at clambering over the rubble - Midfoviing was simply hovering in place while steadying herself against the wall. On the bright side, you did find a number of ancient Azlanti art objects in the rubble - worth a total of 2,500 GP if you could find a decent buyer. (That probably wouldn't be hard in any reasonably civilized and prosperous area. Genuine Azlanti artifacts were popualr.)

Two checks to get up the stairs. XD That's less distance.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Sorry for non descriptive post. Sucks typing with one hand. Should be better soon.

climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14 damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10[ooc]DR applies right?[/ooce]
climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (12) + 12 = 24
climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17

[GM Rednal]

It's physical damage, so yes, DR applies. ^^ Smacking hard into a wall seems like bludgeoning damage to me, y'know?

After staggering to the side during a particularly bad lurch of the building and banging against the side - Midfoviing winced as she watched - you managed to carefully pull your way up the stairs and into the top of the area. There, you essentially hit the jackpot - several large bronze-rimmed lenses are hovering in the air, apparently from a permanent levitation effect. A few have broken, but three are still intact.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran will take a moment to examine the lenses and determine the best way to grab one. Once he does.
"Midfoviing. Can you fly up to here. I found a few lenses that can shut down the device. I need you to fly this one out so I don't break it while crawling around this debris."

Once he hands it over Hadran begins to make his way back down. Leaving the others just encase they need to return.

Climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18
Climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

He makes it back to the rope and begins the decent back to the ground.
Climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29
Climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 17
Climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Climb: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (18) + 12 = 30

Once on the ground he will take the lens and head back in to turn the device off.

"Keep watch Midfoviing. I suspect whatever is here will not like when I shut this down."

This is all assuming we don't get interrupted in any of the task. My hand is a bit better. Good enough to type again anyways :)

[GM Rednal]

Replacing the lens was possible, but it was going to require a certain degree of... finesse... to do it properly, what with all the bits whirling around.

Give me a DC 30 Spellcraft check. Incidentally, each attempt takes 2d4 rounds... and the focus needed gives you a much higher chance to be hit by a trap. XD Here's hoping you won't have to go get another one.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran takes the lens. His eyes again roll back in his head a few moments as he revisits the knowledge and learns how to shut the device down.

Trance Time: 1d6 ⇒ 6

SpellCraft: 1d20 + 29 ⇒ (18) + 29 = 47

[GM Rednal]

Duration of Attempt: 2d4 ⇒ (3, 1) = 4
Trap Chance, 1 is bad: 4d4 ⇒ (1, 2, 1, 4) = 8
Traps: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11 HAH.

As you worked to reinstall the lens, your body was blurred for a moment, and a cluster of spheres came hurtling at you... only to veer away at the last moment, rather than striking you and quite probably shattering the lens you held.

As you finish, the lens is pulled suddenly into orbit, where it hovers in place and collects starlight in an increasingly tight-focused beam. A single, glowing glyph rises to meet the beam, pulses briefly, then descends slowly to rest, now dark.

...That was it, apparently.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran watches as things calm. He waits a few moments before heading outside with Midfoviing.

"It should be shut down now. Let us wait a watch a few moments to see if anything cares."

The two will stand stoic and on guard for a few minutes. If nothing presents itself they will continue to search around the Island.

[GM Rednal]

It seemed that things were calming down here, and no horrid beasties popped out to get revenge for what you'd done. The question was where to search next...? You could go examine the people down by the beach again, or check the other buildings.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"That's long enough. Come let us go check the enslaved people. If we are lucky this machine had something to do with what controlled them."

Back to the enslaved people sounds good.

[GM Rednal]

As you head back to the beach, the first thing you notice is, once again, the smell... but then you hear croaking voices calling out to the crowds.

“Kindred, free the Master and you can return to peaceful lives!” and “Now is the time to repay the sea’s debts!”

As you finally get close, you can see that the villagers are looking confused and frightened - and standing near them are eight ulat-kini (or, by their more popular name, Skum), although none of them seem to be hostile. They're just talking to the crowd, and seeming almost as confused as the humans.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"Well it seems something has changed. Let us go say hello to the locals."

Hadran says to Midfoviing as they approach.

"Villagers of Blackcove. I know you are confused. It seems something had you enslaved here, but you are now free. Come I have a boat that some of you can take back to your village. There you can return with more boats for the others. Do not worry of any master these creatures speak of. You owe no debt but to return to your family and loved ones."

[GM Rednal]

The Ulat-kini turned to face you - well, most of them did. "Outsiders have no place here" One of them croaked, and another "You owe the sea nothing, and the Master below even less. Leave us be. We mean no harm to anyone."

The villagers, on the other hand, just looked even more nervous...

"You say that... but that... that's my grandfather." one of them said, pointing to one of the fishmen. "I'd recognize him anywhere." The speaker was obviously agitated, but as far as you could tell, they were no longer any mental influence... and were quite honest, if confused about what was going on.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran pauses and thinks a moment.

"So he has not always looked that way? How did he become that way? Did he disappear here to the island. Whatever enslaved you may well be causing these mutations or curses as well."

He then looks to the Ulat-kini
"What if I want to pay my respect to the master. One so powerful could help me on my path. Can you take me to him?"
Perform in place of bluff: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26 Hadran does want to see the master but thing bad things are going on here and it trying to play these creatures.

[GM Rednal]

Actually, in this case, I'll need Diplomacy or Intimidate to help sway the crowd. You'll be making an opposed check against the Skum here - and have a -5 circumstance penalty you should include with it. (Yes, that's actually in the book - I'm not arbitrarily making it harder. XD)

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 15 - 5 ⇒ (19) + 15 - 5 = 29

"Again I will ask you to leave now and head back to the village. Allow me to find what is going on here and I will bring back you loved ones."

[GM Rednal]

And this is an example of "penalties that make no difference". XD They can't actually beat that.

Despite the protestations of the Skum, your words seemed to sway the audience, and they started moving away from the fishmen. As a group, the eight of them turned to you, and you could sense their growing anger as they picked up their weapons. "You... are a threat to the Master." one of them said.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"Attack me if you must or take me to this master. If you are cursed I will do what I can to save you as well."

Hadran moves his hand to the hilt extending above his shoulder and squats down a bit taking a defensive stance.

"So what will it be?"

[GM Rednal]

The skum didn't hesitate - instead, they simply held out their tridents and charged.

You can fight them if you want... ooooor just take ten points of damage from presumed lucky hits and we'll call it a match. XD They're, uh, not really a challenge to you, even in numbers.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Take the damage and consider them knocked out as I will do non lethal to all hoping to save break them from what changed them. Can I leave one of them concious and user charm person?

Hadran stands over the unconscious bodies of the skum.

"They were zealous for their cause. They showed Valor in attacking me and for that I'm proud and will do my best to save them for their families and their actions here. Come Midfoviing there is more here to discover."

Hadran speaks a few divine words as they walk away to mend his cuts and scrapes.

CLW: 2d8 + 8 ⇒ (3, 8) + 8 = 19

Will continue around the island in a counter clockwise motion.

For the Day:
Bard Spells 1st(3/4)
Oracle Spells 1st(7/8), 2nd(4/5)

[GM Rednal]

Skum are Monstrous Humanoids, I'm afraid, so that spell won't work. Is there something else you'd like to try?

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Sure these things are hopefully dumb.

Hadran looks over the unconscious skum.

"Midfoviing I have an idea. You will need to hide up in the floating ruins out of sight. I am going to use this scroll to make myself invisible and heal one of these creatures. Seeing his fallen companions I hope he will go for help after he sees we are not here. I will follow him to find a path or way to this master. I will return for you once I find it. Go now."

Spell Craft to use Scroll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Wand Charges 1: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9 If it takes another that's fine just let me know so I can mark it off.

[GM Rednal]

Midfoviing nodded, then flapped away as you got to work.

...There was, of course, one little issue. The big crowd of people that was still right there, and watching everything you were doing...

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Oh, I was thinking they were moving along. I guess they need another push.

Now the skum was unconscious Hadran took the opportunity again to encourage the people to move along and head to the south end of the island where the boat is.

Do you need another check?

[GM Rednal]

As you managed to get the crowd close to the southern shore, you could see a few more boats nearby - people from the village, who had evidently come out to see what was going on. Most of them looked worried - but also happy to see the folk you'd rescued.

"What happened here?" one of them inquired.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

"I'm not sure yet. The people here were enthralled by magic and working to free something. The village is not yet safe. I need to find what was causing this threat and deal with it. Then you will be able to return to your ways. Now help get all of them back to the village. I will return soon."

[GM Rednal]

Those on the boats nodded, clearly confused - but more than willing to help their fellow villagers as you turned and headed back inland.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

If the skum are still there I will enact the previous plan now that the villagers are being aided.

[GM Rednal]

Returning to where the unconscious Skum were, the bodies seemed to be missing - but you did find a set of tracks heading towards the center of the island. In particular, they seemed to lead towards the empty building you'd looked over before. There might have been more to the place than you'd uncovered...

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran follows the tracks. Once he returns to the building he goes and alerts Midfoviing.

"Midfoviing fly down. The skum are missing but I followed tracks back to the center building. We need to search it again."

Knowing now they came back here the God of valor takes his time searching.

Will start going through the building searching. Looking for anything our of place.

Basically him and Midfoviing will be searching about taking 20 in suspicious areas and seeing if there passive perception picks up anything. This should just take a bit of time to find something.

[GM Rednal]

As asked, Midfoviing flapped back over to join you.

Tall, cracked walls surround this structure. They are punctuated by two grand arched entryways, only one of which still stands. Massive, verdigris-coated mounts for huge lenses hover lazily over the complex, their glass long ago shattered, while ruined aqueducts lead away from the structure in sweeping curves, disappearing into the island’s foliage.

Graceful, crumbling archways open into a large bathing room at the entrance. Two pools stand in the center of the room, full of stagnant water. Behind one of the pools, you also uncover a suit of +1 banded mail left behind in one of the pools, forged in the likeness of a prehistoric armor-plated fish, as well as a cache of six potions of levitate.

Beyond is a marvel of engineering - the interior of the complex is a deep, stepped well plunging to a dry basin below. Each level consists of a narrow walkway with steep stairs in the corners that lead to the level below, creating a spiraling descent to the bottom of the pit. Half of the structure is ruined, with debris littering large portions of the walkways.

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran will gather the armor and potions. He will stow the armor in a corner. "We will grab this upon our return up. Let us now descend bellow and find out who this master is."

Hadran leads the way down.

[GM Rednal]

The bottom of the area seems to be... a solid stone floor. Fairly nondescript as far as such things go, and there's no obvious ladder or other means of descent to be found here. Still, the Skum had definitely come this way...

[Hadran, The Fallen]

Hadran will again take time searching looking for a secret passage knowing the creatures came this way.

Taking 20 searching all around.