[Pathfinder] The Tower of Trials - Forest of Good and Evil

[CrazySauce]

http://oi63.tinypic.com/20hlsm9.jpg


When you open your eyes again you are in a familiar room. The walls are as soft and white as you remember, the
feeling of peace and serenity surrounds you. At the far end, once again is a set of double doors, raised slightly with
a few steps before them.

You have passed your test and feel a newfound purpose surge through you. It is not just emotion that invigorates
you, it is experience and whatever power is imbued in this place.

It is then that you notice differences. The words spoken to you in your last memories of the previous trial ring
hollow now. The voice was harsher, deeper. The peace of this place, too has a slightly metallic edge to it, of
something just beneath the surface.

Looking above the door, you see that the words have changed, telling you of a new task, a new trial.

I. One is Good, One is Evil
II. Evil Must Die
III. Good Must Survive

A groan from nearby tells you the man carried with you through the trial has awakened from his torment. He blinks at
his surroundings for a moment before his eyes focus.

"Thank Aka'Rhun you brought me here."

Weakly digging through a pouch at his belt, slippery with the mess his insides have made of it, he pulls out a gemstone:
A ruby an inch in diameter.

Clutching it in both hands, the man bends over it as if in prayer. After a moment, light shines through, at first brilliant,
then blinding. When it fades, you see the man is holding some sort of potion in his hand.

Swiftly, almost desperately, he drinks the potion, then lies back with a contented look on his face.

As you watch, the wounds on the man's belly begin to close, his intestines reforming within him, and the parts outside
his body withering and falling off. Healed at last, he stands and addresses you.

"Thank you for your help, strangers. If you had not brought me to the Room of Sacrifice, there is no way I would have
survived."

Taking a few steps towards the door, he turns to you.

"We cannot travel together, though, it is the Tower that decides one's companions," he says, gesturing to an unfamiliar
figure at the back of the room.

"If there is any help I can give you now or in the future, you merely have to ask. My name is Jan, the Fourth
Lightbringer, and I am in your debt."

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace gave a sigh of relief, hearing the man was going to be okay.

[Eonn]

"Guts nots on za ground no more? You be not dying!" Vhek exclaims. "Hows ya do zat?"

[CrazySauce]

"You never knew?" Jan asks in surprise. "This is the Room of Sacrifice. Any item or possession you have can be sacrificed for something of equal of lesser value, if you will it. It was costly, but that potion was what saved my life."

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness smiles knowing that they had all made it and the man was now safe. He bows to Jan and looks up at the words. "I think I shall prefer this trial."

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace blinked in confusion. "How did you know that was the next room?"

[Amanil]

Guess I'll take purple!
The unknown human at the back of the room groaned slightly as he came to. Realising that he was not alone, he hopped up and held his longspear defensively for a moment as he gauged the intent of the strangers.

As Jalrad saw that they were busy talking to one apparently not of their group his grip loosened slightly. It seemed he had been placed with another group after his last had mostly failed to make it through, Jalrad having had to duck past the ogre that had blocked the path to have a chance at survival himself, though it pained him to have done so.

"Greetings, travellers," he stated, having noticed that they spoke the same language as him - a strange occurrence, given that one of his former group had been from another land entirely. "My name is Jalrad. With whom do I now undertake Desna's trial?"

[Eonn]

Turning to speak to the newcomer, Vhek introduces himself"This one is Vhek, champion of Bloodclaw! Ehh... were be mama's marmalade?"

Dismissing the thought, he turns to the rules above the doors. "Is good, and is evil? What its be sayin?" Vhek hisses softly, perplexed. He then perks up a bit, and began to wander purposefully around the room. He didn't have time to look for valuables during the trial, but there aren't any more pressing matters now!

Perception: [roll0]

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Hearing Vhek, Elyn looks around. One of their group has gone missing. Still, no time to wonder about what happened to the man. There are more trials ahead.

Instead, she looks at Grace. "I'd like to know that as well. Do you have prior knowledge about the trials that await us, sir Jan?"

When a newcomer appears, Elyn turns towards the man and arches a brow. "Uh... I'm Elyn. Well met." She then turns towards the words that tell of their new trial. "This is going to be an uh... interesting trial. I wonder what we'll be asked to do."

[CrazySauce]

"It is said that every trial begins in this Room," Jan explains. "You must have been here before the last one as well."

"What I know of the Tower is only what my people spoke of in legends, and what the followers of Aka'Rhun have said since I arrived. Every trial is different, every path unique."

Stepping up to the doors, he opens them, flooding the room with the light from beyond.

"Hopefully we will have a chance to meet again. Farewell."

Stepping through, he disappears into the light. Silently, the doors close behind him, unbidden.

[Amanil]

Jalrad looked a little bemusedly at Vhek. Evidently the language or cultural barrier was not entirely surmounted by the Tower's magic. He held a somewhat middling view of kobolds - in his land they were shrewd merchants, rivals even to the gnomes, but mostly for being particularly tight with their coin over their bartering skills. He had accompanied a great many on the roads, and had found a few bad eggs had marred the brood somewhat.

The human and elf - or at least elven-blooded - Jalrad was comfortable accompanying; it was the strange, clouded-eyed one that had so far remained mostly quiet that had Jalrad a little uncertain; perhaps her vision hadn't identified his presence?

Regardless, he gestured with his spear at the words above the door, repeating them before commenting.

"It seems that the challenge pits light against darkness; we had best make haste, lest the fight between good and evil has begun without us."

[CrazySauce]

As it was the last time you were in a room like this, There is nothing to be found except what you brought in. Vhek's search proves fruitless.

Whatever you are desiring to find, it must lie further up the Tower.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness sits. "Tell me when you are ready and I'll head through the door."

[Eonn]

Vhek's tail droops disappointedly, he wanted to try the trick the formally dying man had shown them. He takes a moment to mourn what could have been before setting his sights back on the task at hand.

"We be more better zis time! Nos spilt when big-scaries come!" He says eagerly, despite having been the one who had lost track of how far the party was behind him last fight. "But before go, take care of hurts first?"

[Amanil]

Jalrad had not thought to check on his new companions' wounds - he had been fortunate enough to make it through the previous trial unscathed, but it seemed that this group had had a much harder time of it.

"Indeed, little one, let me greet my new travelling companions properly."

He positioned himself so as to be near them all, and clutched the wooden butterfly that was hanging from his neck with a length of thin chain links.

He spoke a quick blessing, though he did so in a different tongue - the language he had learned about his deity in.

"May the Starsong bring spring to your step, may she lighten your load, bring light to the darkness, and ensure a safe road."
Channel energy: [roll0]

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace was glad for the rest room, as well as the chance to learn about the room. It was fascinating. If her parent learned of such a place, they'd jump up and down in excitement-

But they weren't here, and Grace still had a job. She cleared her throat. "I can heal as well."

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn smiles. "Thanks. That was welcome help, sir Jalrad." She looks at the others. "So, do we press on now or do you want to take some time to rest and gather our strengths?" The alchemist looks quizzically at the bombs she carrying in her bandolier, hoping that next fight she'll be less careless with them.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness rises and moves towards the door. "Are we ready?"

[Eonn]

"Ready as ever gonna' be." Vhek replies.

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace took a deep breath. "Yes, let's go."

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness opens the door.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn follows behind the others, clasping her crossbow in her hands with one bolt loaded. They're not going to catch her off-guard this time!

[Amanil]

"I only hope I can ease the way to come, as well as the pains of the road already travelled," Jalrad nods to Elyn. As the other human in the group - also one of the more visibly vulnerable members, with a ranged weapon drawn, and having said a word of thanks - Jalrad opts to walk a few steps behind her such that he could bring his spear to bear should any foes trouble her.

[CrazySauce]

http://oi63.tinypic.com/20hlsm9.jpg


When the light of the door dims, you find yourself in another world.

Above you lies the night sky, filled with stars and the light of a full moon shining down between the scattered clouds.
That light reveals what appears to be a garden of sorts.

Rising up a small set of stairs, in between pathways that now bear the growth of many years of neglect, are row
upon row of statues. Their features are hard to make out from a distance and are covered by that same growth in
the form of vines and lichen.

The garden is large, but not infinite. Perhaps a hundred statues are present, and some sort of clearing exists in
the middle. The entire garden is edged by a row of columns overgrown to such an extent as to seem impenetrable.

There is no sign of the man who passed through before you. Perhaps the Tower has sent him to a different form of
trial.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness grips his shield and draws his sword and look around in awe. He looks at the statues to see how they differ. "Good and evil," he says to no one in particular.

Perception [roll0]

[CrazySauce]

Though Lyraness doesn't see anything that stands out about the statues closest to where the group is, his exquisite perception notices a few details farther back.

Scattered throughout the garden, some of the statues do seem familiar to him. He'd need to get closer to see what exactly it is, but something about their shape or form triggers his memory.

[Amanil]

Jalrad immediately feels a great deal of comfort at their new environment. He lets the starlight wash over him for a moment as he takes in the scene.

The traveller, too, looks for any obvious signs of "Good" and "Evil", but none present themselves.

Can't get that high on a Perception roll!
"It appears there is little urgency... we had best proceed with caution." he speaks quietly to the group.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Seeing no immediate threat in the vicinity, Elyn relaxes the grip on her crossbow. "Phew... okay... we're good. Good and evil huh? These statues are going to be relevant somehow. Suggestions?" The alchemist lets her gaze pass over all the statues, hoping to spot something that might give them a clue what to do next.

Perception check: [roll0]

[CrazySauce]

Nothing about the statues immediately stands out to Elyn. They are quite overgrown and hardly recognizable from a distance.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness begins to head towards the closest of the statues that seem familiar to him. "I see not danger but statues seem ... familiar. Lets stick together."

"As to are we the good. I don't know. I don't know if it is as simple as that."

[CrazySauce]

As Lyraness approaches the statue, his sense of familiarity grows.

Once next to the statue, it becomes obvious what had triggered his perception. Under the vines and growth, he recognizes this statue: it is of a local merchant from when he was a child. Nothing particularly good or evil comes to mind about the man, though. He was quite unremarkable.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn follows closely behind Lyraness, keeping an eye out for anything that may seem out of the ordinary. She does occasionally look at the statues though. Who knows, they might be the real danger here. "I doubt we're the good. That be a pretty unremarkable trial." She frowns. "Arrive to the exit in one piece is something we've already done. No, there's more to it than that, I'm sure of it."

[Amanil]

"One is good, one is evil," Jalrad repeated. "I believe one statue represents each... how we find and destroy the evil one, though..." he trailed off, keeping near the group and looking at any statues nearby.

[CrazySauce]

Following Lyraness, Elyn and Jalrad glance at other statues as they pass.

While some do seem familiar, without a closer inspection it isn't obvious what makes them that way.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness looks at the statue curiously. "I recognize this man. A merchant. I don't recall him being remarkable in any way. Not particularly good or evil. Just a man."

[Eonn]

"Hmm..." Vhek hums to himself as he walks slowly by the statutes. "If we finds the one that be evil, we smash and be done. If we finds the one that be good, we smash the rest and be done." He muses aloud.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness looks at Vhek. "And how do we judge that? Can a statue be evil?"

[Eonn]

Statue of evil person? Or maybe they not be statue at all!"

[BramsesII]

Elyn

The alchemist scratches her head. "And how would you go about knowing who is evil and who isn't? Maybe the statues aren't involved in the quest at all." She peers carefully at the nearest statues, hoping to recognize... something.

Perception check: [roll0]

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace frowned. "Maybe the challenge is to find a Paladin? To detect for good or evil?" Grace couldn't do that, but she could look for other things. Grace began checking the statue and the surroundings for traces of magic.

Grace casts Detect Magic (obviously)

[CrazySauce]

Peering at the statues around her, Elyn too notices one she recognizes. Brushing away the vines, she sees that it is a woman who came to the temple when she was a child. Just as Lyraness remarked about the statue he recognized, there was little remarkable about this person: No great good but no great evil either.

[CrazySauce]

Though she didn't recognize the man that Lyraness did, Grace examines it closer using her magic.

Her eyes peering farther with mystic insight than they do with normal sight, she sees that the entire statue glows with magic, as do all those around her. As her concentration deepens, the detail of that aura becomes clearer: Not it's nature, which baffles her, but its location.

The aura is not coming from the statue itself, but from within it. Traces and threads of magical energy run throughout the statue, almost as if it were veins inside a living creature, pumping magical energy from its heart.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

The young alchemist scratches her head. "I don't get it. What're these statues supposed to tell us?" She points to the statue she recognized. "I've seen this woman before. She came to our temple often. There's nothing remarkably good or evil about her, as far as I know." She pinches the bridge of her nose. "Are we sure we're going about this the right way?"

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

"I am not going about anything anyway at the moment, other than seeing I recognize some statues here. Clearly some or all of them are mundane people we know."

He thinks a moment.

"Maybe the point of the statues may to be to point out that no one is really good or evil."

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace blinked in surprise and shook her head slowly. "I don't know.There's something... inside the statue. Something magical..." Grace gingerly touched the nearest statue.

[CrazySauce]

While Elyn talked about a person only she knew and Lyraness mused about a man only he recognized, Grace reached out and touched the statue nearest to her. Even though the night air was not particularly warm, the statue was. Leaving her hand there for a few moments, Grace could almost feel a slow rise and fall in the temperature of the statue, like a rhythmic beating.

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace pulled her hand back. "It's like the statues are alive. With a heartbeat and breath." she said, amazed. At home, she could never have encountered anything like this.

[Amanil]

Jalrad looked concerned at Grace's revelation, opting to let his own senses see what she was seeing. With a brief prayer he placed his holy symbol on his forehead and, upon removing it, scanned the area.

Detect Magic, obviously.
"While the way to the centre looks unobstructed, I suggest we check each statue. If those so far are known to us, perhaps they all are? Or perhaps some aren't? Either way, these unremarkable ones I do not believe hold the clue to the way forwards."

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Leaning into the statue Lyraness listens for any sign of heartbeat or breath.

Perception[roll0]

[Eonn]

It is easy for Vhek to scan each of the statues for anyone he knows since everyone he ever knew was a kobold. The thought of his fallen family brings a tear to Vhek's eye, but he takes solace knowing he's working to avenge them.

Perception to spot statue: [roll0]

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Following Jalrad's suggestion, Elyn nods. "Sounds like a plan. Let's hop to it." The alchemist moves over near one of the statues the others aren't checking, then begins listening for a heartbeat, or anything that could be remotely similar.

Perception: [roll0]

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness scans the statues. "Do we have anything to mark the statues? It would make things much easier."

About how many statues are there? How far do they spread?

[CrazySauce]

The group spreads out a bit, checking individual statues. As the vines and creepers are cleared off them, they become more visible and more recognizable. Though your group has only checked a few of the hundred or statues throughout the garden, each one so far has been recognizable to someone.

There seems to be no pattern to the individuals depicted by the statues. Friends, family, lovers, acquaintances, passers-by. People you have known well, or by association. None seem to particularly fit the moniker of Good or Evil, however.

[CrazySauce]

As Jalrad attunes his senses, he begins to what Grace has seen: the slow pulse of magical energy through the statues. Though whether or not it means life of a sort has yet to be determined.

[CrazySauce]

Elyn and Lyraness attempt to listen to the heartbeats of the statues, but one does not seem to exist. With an ear pressed against them, the rhythmic heat is perceptible, but little else.

[Amanil]

"Of course," Jalrad responds to Lyraness, fishing a few pieces of chalk from within the pouch at his belt and distributing them.

"Unless anyone has any other ideas, I see no reason to not look over all of them. Best stick together, though, lest one of them has some foul purpose."

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness takes a piece of chalk. "Thank you. Lets do it then."

Lyraness begins to move statue to statue. Looking at them and asking if anyone knows them.

He keeps his eyes open for anything odd.

Perception [role]1d20+8[/roll]

[Eonn]

If any statues be of kobold, Vhek might bes knowin of zem" Vhek replies.

[CrazySauce]

Checking the statues one by one, having the party examine them and identify them as known takes hours, but it narrows down the scope of this trial considerably.

Virtually all of the statues are recognized by someone, save two:


One is a woman, slightly bent and covered in a long cloak. She shields her eyes from you as if in shame or fear.

The other is a man of noble bearing and uncompromising demeanor. Looking down at those before him, he grasps a shield in one hand, while the other rests on the hilt of his sword embedded in the ground.


One is a woman, slightly bent and covered in a long cloak. She shields her eyes from you as if in shame or fear.

The other is a haggard looking kobold sitting cross-legged on the ground. His head is lowered, but his eyes are raised, still alert for opportunity. A mischievous grin makes him seem almost gleeful.


One is a woman, slightly bent and covered in a long cloak. She shields her eyes from you as if in shame or fear.

The other is a mother, standing proud and strong. In one arm she cradles a baby, the generation of the future, and in the other is a switch, the commandments of the past.


One is a woman, slightly bent and covered in a long cloak. She shields her eyes from you as if in shame or fear.

The other is a wizened sage, a book opened before him. Poring over its contents, the wonderment and realization of knowledge is evident in his stony eyes.


One is a woman, slightly bent and covered in a long cloak. She shields her eyes from you as if in shame or fear.

The other is a naked man, basking in the moonlight. From the front he is entirely man, but from behind, you can see that he is in the midst of a change, the animal in him starting to burst forth from his flesh.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

The alchemist, exhausted from examining so many statues, arrives at the last two. She takes a good long look, scratching her head in puzzlement. After taking several moments to try and figure out what exactly is the point of this exercise, she shrugs. "Well, I'm stumped. I've no idea who these two are, and I've no idea how that's going to help us with this puzzle. Any suggestions?"

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness looks the two statues over. "If these two are the odd ones out then possibly represents the good and evil, but I fail to see how. A woman in a cloak, shielding her eyes and a ... knight or martially inclined noble of some sort? I can see how nobility can abuse power, but they are neither evil or good."

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace frowned. "A knight? I thought the statue showed a mother, with a child and a whip." Grace attempted to peer more closely at the statue in question

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness looks perplexed. "The woman is cloaked, I see no child nor a whip." He moves around the statue of the woman to see if he missed something.

Perception find any details he missed or sign of evil[roll0]

[Estralita]

Grace

"Yes, one woman in a cloak and the other with a baby and whip."

[CrazySauce]

Perplexed, Grace and Lyraness peer more closely at the statue, but see it each in their own way.

The statue seems normally made, within the limits of this place, but wears a guise unique to the individual.

[Amanil]

Jalrad listened to the descriptions given by the others, his brow furrowing.

"I see a man becoming a beast, freed from the shackles of humanity by the moonlight of Desna. There is no good or evil here, surely, for animals are free from such things. The woman, though... why do we all see her as the same if the other statue-... what? ... reflects something about ourselves?"

Jalrad studies the woman statue more carefully, saying a brief prayer for insight.

Casting Guidance then Detect Magic to look at specifically the woman statue for anything that differs it from the rest, other than not being known to anyone.

[roll0]
[roll1] to detect school of magic, if any.

[CrazySauce]

Looking more closely at the statue of the woman, Jalrad notices one tiny detail that has escaped the others: hidden behind the sadness of her posture and her hands covering her face, there is the slightest smile on the woman's lips.

Concentrating intently on that statue with his mystic sight, he eventually notices the slightest of hints of Illusion and Transmutation magic on the statue, though not any indication that it is an illusion itself.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn scratches her head. This whole everyone-seeing-something-different thing reeks of magic. Looking at the others, she speaks up. "The cloaked woman's there for me too. The other's a sage looking over a book of sorts. A man of knowledge. Nothing about that screams evil to me." She rubs the back of her neck and walks over to examine both statues more closely. Perhaps there is a hidden mechanism that could open a secret passageway or something.

Perception check: [roll0]

[CrazySauce]

Elyn peers intently at the statues hoping to find something hidden, but finds nothing amiss. They appear to be normal statues, physically, with no hidden mechanisms or compartments.

One thing that she does notice on the statue of the covered woman, is that the folds of her clothes, from a certain angle, seem shaped like a heart.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness thinks. "So we all see one statue the same and the other differently. I suspect that one represents good and one evil, but which is which? I see no clear evidence. It does seem that the the one that varies has some similarity to to the observer. It does seem to me that the man I see seems uncompromising, but evil? I don't see it."

[Eonn]

"Hmm... Vhek be seein' wiley one. Trap maker maybe? He be waiting for opportunity. Vhek don't think it be evil, though."

[Estralita]

Grace

"So, this is all about overcoming the evil inside ourselves?" Grace asked doubtfully.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness looks at Grace thoughtfully. "That seems a likely idea, but I can't quite put it together. Then again I am not a smart or learned elf. I am sure something is escaping me. Maybe the one represents what we might become in terms of being evil?"

He looks at the statue again. "I have always stood up for the outsider or little guy, this statue seems above that. Almost judging."

He looks to see if the statue seems to be of himself. Perception [roll0]

[CrazySauce]

Lyraness examines the statue closer, but does not see any particular resemblance to himself in it. Perhaps it is as he wishes he could be, or something else's perception of what he wishes he could be.

[CrazySauce]

http://oi63.tinypic.com/20hlsm9.jpg


Though you cannot mark the passage of time well in this place, hours must have passed. The brief darkening of
the light of the moon as a cloud passes across it draws your attention to this. It's position in the sky has
shifted.

Not only is the moon closer to the horizon, as if time were running short, but it is much larger. Far too large.

Clouds have been gathered into the mostly clear sky and it now seems dark, threatening storms and rain and
perhaps worse.

When the moon next breaks from behind the clouds it casts light only in two places: the statues that have
drawn your attention, spreading their curious shadows upon the ground.

As the rest of the statues fall into darkness, a wind arises, carrying on it the faintest of whispers of voices that
lurk at the edges of your hearing.

[Amanil]

"Time move on, friends," Jalrad stated the obvious as he mused over the two statues.

"The one which we all see different... would you all describe it as a positive image? Certainly, for me, the figure is an embodiment of my beliefs - albeit an extreme version of them - and the woman... defining her is much more elusive, despite us all seeing the same."

"Her hidden smirk," Jalrad pointed to the woman's face with his spear, "hints at deception, but that alone is not evil."

Feeling confused somewhat by the whole thing, Jalrad sought to feel something certain. He moved to the variable figure, reaching out with a gloved hand to touch its shoulder.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness looks the statue of the woman over again carefully. "I would not describe the different image as quite different of me, but that is mostly a guess. The woman ..."

Perception [roll0]

[BramsesII]

Elyn

The alchemist looks at the statue of the sage, then at herself, then at the statue again. "He doesn't look particularly like me. Unless I've gotten wizened and male after I last checked. That didn't really happen, did it?" She feigns horror for a moment, then laughs. "Not like me at all, really. As for the woman, that's hard to say. I can't really pin her down."

[CrazySauce]

The feel of the statue under Jalrad's hand feels like any of the others he's touched: warm but unyielding. The others, too, see Jalrad place his hand upon its shoulder, no matter what difference of position or shape the statue may have in their eyes.

[CrazySauce]

With the newly focused light of the moon, Lyraness's attention is drawn by the woman's shadow.

Looming behind the statue, seen only in its shadow are a pair of folded wings, larger than the statue's body itself. Though he cannot tell if they are from bird or bat, looking at the place where those wings would be in reality, but are not, fills him with unease.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness nods looking at the statue of the woman and it's shadow. "The shadow has wings where the statue does not. The type of wings I can't tell. More deception is seems."

[Eonn]

Vhek hasa idea!" The kobold exclaims. He takes a piece of chalk to the back of the statue and waves it in front of him, trying to color where the wings should be.

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

"Is ... is that the whole idea?"

[CrazySauce]

Vhek's chalk passes easily through the space where the wings should be. Though there is no resistance, something must have been left behind because the faintest of outlines can be seen, revealing the smooth surface of the wing.

[Amanil]

"An observation, then: though I am far from a student of magic, the woman statue is shrouded in a hint of illusion and transmutation, and yet we all see the same. What, then, is the statue we see changing veiled by?"

Jalrad calls upon his deity again to help make sense of the mystery.

Casting Guidance then Detect Magic again, looking at the statue that everyone sees differently trying to identify whether it is similar magic being used, or a similar school.

[roll0] - DC 15+spell level

[CrazySauce]

In contrast to the statue of the woman, the faint aura that Jalrad can detect on the variable statue is that of Divination magic.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn observes the others trying to figure out the mystery behind the statues. It's obvious that she's disturbed by the fact that she doesn't have any ideas of her own to assist the others with. "Uh, let me know if I can do anything, right?" She scratches her head and mumbles to herself. "I feel useless here. Too much magic going on."

[Amanil]

Jalrad muses further.

"The magic here is divination... clearly it looks into our souls in order to shape itself based on something it finds within us. Of the two, I would say that this is perhaps the most honest whereas the other has hints of deception. Is that the nature of good and evil?"

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace shrugged awkwardly. "Maybe it depends on whether we are good or evil."

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn looks at Amanil and shrugs. "Deception isn't always evil, is it? Nor does looking into our souls necessarily have to be a good thing." She scratches her head. "Whatever we do, we'll have to do it quickly. I can't imagine we could poke around these statues forever."

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

"To me evil is to harm for no good reason. While I do not have much respect for deception, it is what one does with it that is evil ... or not."

[Eonn]

Vhek continues with the chalk, hoping to reveal more secrets about the statue.

[CrazySauce]

As Vhek continues to pass the chalk through the wings, a tiny amount remains behind. The resistance cannot be felt, and the outline only barely seen, but Vhek can make out the smooth expanse of the wings, tapering to points at the ends.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn walks over to Vhek, observing the chalk outlines. She arches a brow. "Do you think something like this would work on the other statue as well? Maybe there's something there that we can't see either."

[Eonn]

Vhek shrugs, but attempts to do the same thing on the other statue.

[CrazySauce]

Passing his chalk through the space around the variable statue, Vhek can see no additional shapes. Whatever this statue may represent, it appears authentic to each individual viewing it.

He does, however, notice that the beams of light highlighting the two statues have grown thinner, as the strength of the moon wanes.

[Amanil]

Jalrad notes the moonlight fading, his brow somewhat furrowed.

"The challenge did not come with a time limit. I am left wondering what happens should the light fade in its entirety."

He whispers a short prayer, tapping the tip of his spear, causing it to shed an amount of silvery light in the growing darkness.

Casting Light.

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace frowned. She wasn't a philosopher, or even that smart. She was a merchant's daughter. What was she doing here. "Maybe the statues come to life and start attacking each other?"

[BramsesII]

Elyn

"That'd be an interesting sight. If so, do you think we need to jump in?" She looks at her companions with a questioning look in her eyes. "Because I'm still not sure which one we should be backing, then."

Elyn shakes her head. "It'll probably be something really stupid that we're missing. It's always someting like that."

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness shrugs. "I am really at a loss at what to do."

[Amanil]

"Who is to say we are looking at this even the right way? What if we are the good, and they are both the evil?" Jalrad postulated.

"Regardless, while philosophising is always a worthy pursuit, I feel we should come to a decision - does anyone feel strongly about where we should go with this? There's little doubt in my mind that the changing statue is not inherently evil, but I am not so confident that the other is to say we should destroy it. If we all feel that way, though, perhaps that leaning is enough?"

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness frowns. "And what is the result if we guess wrong? As I understand it we die."

[BramsesII]

Elyn

The alchemist grimaces as she reaches a decision. She plucks two vials out of her bandolier and gets ready to mix them together. "All right. Which statue do I blow up?"

[Amanil]

"The same could be said of every choice we make, friend elf; dodge left instead of right, take the easy path instead of the hard, take a shortcut home through darkness... I believe we must choose."

Jalrad nods approval at the alchemist's call for action.

"I have never been one for voting - short of something unanimous it leaves many feeling cheated - but if that is how we are to work, my choice is an easy one: the unchanging one is the closest I can see to evil for the other represents many of my ideals, and I do not believe I walk an evil path."

He waited with interest to see how his newfound companions would choose.

[BramsesII]

Elyn

Elyn looks at the components for the bomb in her hand. "The unchanging one is shifty, yeah. But the fact that it may have wings that we can't see is odd." She pauses, pondering for a moment. "What if there's a hidden entrance beneath one of the statues or something? Maybe we could try pushing them out of the way a bit, see if that stirs something up?"

The alchemist looks at the others. "How's that sound?"

[HappyMerecat]

Lyraness

Lyraness throws himself against the smaller statue and sees if he can move it.

Strength roll [roll0]

[Estralita]

Grace

Grace frowned. "Didn't it say the evil one needed to be destroyed?" She pulledout her mace in preparation.

[CrazySauce]

Lyraness throws himself valiantly against the statue, but body weight doesn't seem to be enough to budge it.

Upon closer examination, there doesn't seem to be any sort of join between it and its base. It's as if the statues were constructed of one solid piece that extends down into the ground.

[CrazySauce]

http://oi63.tinypic.com/20hlsm9.jpg


The moon fills the sky above the garden. The rows of statues seem less like people and more
like jagged fingers clawing towards the sky.

Looking up, you can see that the luminous orb is indeed getting closer. Far faster than
something so big should.

Clouds covering the sky do not hinder its brightness, yet the garden itself falls into a deeper,
unnatural darkness as it nears. The statues seeming to melt into the void around them, their
eyes giving a sinister flicker of light before disappearing.

Darkness washes over you with a painful finality.

Not everyone can climb the Tower.

Not everyone who climbs succeeds.

Perhaps those that fail fuel its desire to call another generation to some unknowable purpose.

Perhaps not.

It is no longer your trial to find out.



The End... ?