Shattered Star II: Curse of the Lady's Light (IC)

[lostsole31]

As it seems that the group is done for today for dinner, The Scribe gets out a ration (simple dried jerky and hard tack and some dried fruit) and his waterskin as Telgarana takes out the Shard of Greed with a cracked, pale blue rhomboid ioun stone embedded in it.

The other NPCs take a cue and start getting their meals out for eating as well.

The Scribe pours some water into the cup of his mess kit, and lifts it. "Well, Telgarana, daughter of Kitinara and Raniel, likewise under the see of Venture Captain Heidmarch, and bearer of the Shard of Greed, welcome to the Seekers of the Star."

He seems to take, slow, deliberate actions, but drinks his cup of water.

"Did Lilim tell you the dangers involved with that artifact should the stone be removed? or, for that matter, what our mission is?"

[LazarX]

"She was very explicit on the need for the Shard's containment, not quite as much on your mission save that it involved gatherring of artifacts for some purpose. She in exchange rescued us and is taking our part in the mission we left behind in Korvosa."

[lostsole31]

[At this point, queue the multi-panel, tiny head expository as in a comic book...]

The Scribe begins the tale, "It begins when a thief by the name of Natalya Vancaskerkin, an estranged member of the Tower Girls thieves' guild of Magnimar, found this in the Crow piling of the Irespan."

Here, the Scribe sets something in front of him. Where Telgarana's Shard of Greed is a bit of a darker metal (with a blue rhomboid stone), The Scribe's is a coppery sort of metal with a scarlet-and-blue sphere embedded in it. "This is the Shard of Pride. Of course, at the time Natalya had no idea what it was. Worse, without the correctly keyed ioun stone, the artifact affected her with, as you can guess, overweening pride. It was a mess, and truth be told, we almost killed her. Luckily, we - the group I was with at the time - wrested the shard from her and we put it in the care of Venture-Captain Heidmarch.

"Forgoing all of the intervening business, research uncovered that it appears to be a piece of an ancient, connected assemblage of seven, similarly-shaped pieces of starmetal - each vane a different shape - the total called the Sihedron. The Sihedron actually is a motif found in ancient Azlant, and these pieces here - each an artifact in their own right - very possibly were the original that for some reason were torn asunder and spread throughout the Inner Sea prior to Earthfall."

He lets the very age of these items in the Pathfinders' grasp settle on every one as very likely this is a good refresher even for the current members of the Seekers of the Star.

"Divinations from higher up can't reveal information directly on the Sihedron or the various pieces, but have given tangential information. The most pressing of which is that once Natalya took hold of the Shard of Pride, some force somewhere in the world took note. The senior Pathfinders can't shape exactly how or who, but these items are not held purely anonymously. So, our orders are to be Pathfinders ... cooperate-explore-report, of course ... but the actual mission is to collect the pieces of the Sihedron, each a powerful shard named after one of the ancient Azlanti concepts of a sin, and each sin related to some field of magic ... and get them before whatever else is trying to get them.

"The way we do that, and why I said we're dead in the water without that," he says, pointing to the Shard of Greed, "is because each bearer of a Shard is able to get a very rough sense to the location of the next shard. Not down to feet and yards, it seems, but very general location. Lilim, bearing the Shard of Greed, led us here. And in case you don't know where you are, you are deep underneath an ancient monument in the Mushfens of Varisia known as the Lady's Light."

He takes a sip of water. "So far, this monument has been guarded not only by ancient creatures such as demons and shadow mastiffs, but more modern threats that have been coaxed into this place by whatever intelligence is here, for there is some entity about that has marshaled and hired the Gray Maidens. Behind that closed door there is an imprisoned Gray Maiden that we spared courtesy of a charm from Fallon - it has since worn off - and this very room was used as their quarters.

"So what questions have you?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

It's okay, even if you play a current member of the Seekers of the Star, to ask questions, as it's been awhile and you may need information that maybe I haven't given as an oversight.

[Tippnick]

"Lilim mentioned a Runelord as a possible enemy. What do you know of them?", asks Iluvar.

[lostsole31]

"Prior to Earthfall, there were seven potentates of incredible magical skill that ruled over what was Ancient Thassilon ... which includes modern Varisia and much of the Inner Sea, especially along the western coast. Each warlord was a paragon of their particular school of magic. They were called Runelords. My original team fought in an ancient fane underneath Magnimar, which seems to have been the site of ancient Bakrakhan, home of Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath. It was there we recovered the Shard of Greed which you now possess. It is also where I earned Xin-Rithux," The Scribe motions to his ranseur, sitting against the wall. "It was part of a statue honoring that ancient witch."

He looks to Erima before looking back to Iluvar and Telgarana. "Earlier in our foray here under the Lady's Light, Erima there was attacked by a trap and apparently killed. Her body was reformed to look suspiciously similar to the many depictions of Sorshen, Runelord of Lust. She was given strange powers and actually was killed several times before falling prey to the shadow mastiffs we just fought today. Once you get even a quick look around here, you will notice all of the *ahem* ... inappropriate decorations worked into stone of this ancient fane, for this was once part of Eurythnia, Runelord Sorshen's realm.

"Just as you appeared. Not just before, not just after ... but just as we heard your splash, I had touched 'our' Runelord Sorshen and strange energies burst forward to knock me back and turn Erima back into a 'version' of her previous self. I had some problems getting to investigate the splash, and Erima was able to form an ectoplasmic shell of armor like a psionic aegis. But before her strange clone-form of Sorshen, she was a bloodrager and an unbound oracle."

He looks to the female of the half-orc duo. "Erima, can you call on any of your previous powers ... bloodrager or oracle?"

[silphael]

She smiles, which seems weird, as if oddly unfamiliar on her face.

"Not at all. But I feel something else. A very different power, ready to act at my mind's desire. I even understand it, as well as what protects me now. I don't think I can do something similar to what I was doing earlier, but now... I feel like my limits aren't the same at all."

[lostsole31]

"What I've seen so far, like I said before, reminds me of psionic powers reputedly the purview of Vudrani yogi," says the Scribe.

He then turns back to the new folk, awaiting any further questions.

[Tippnick]

"So Master Scribe, what have you encountered here so far and what is our next goal? Do have an expectation to find another piece of this item?", Iluvar queries.

[lostsole31]

The Scribe answers in long-story form.....

In the meantime, the party eats and drinks. Iluvar eats his one and only ration, drinking the water from his canteen, but at least he can offer pristine water to any who need it (a la create water). Telgarana, unfortunately, had gone from a fine man's home and hospitality to an adventure site where she had expected to return in the evening. Still, Rezah has plenty of food to share with her before he goes into the cell to the northeast to see to the care, feeding, and needs of the Gray Maiden prisoner there.

... and The Scribe finishes up. It seems that his telling while not a "proper Pathfinder report," is still useful in answering Iluvar's questions.

Spoiler: How well did he do?

Show

He got a 25 on his Perform (oratory) for the purposes of how well told the story is.

The short, out-of-character answer is that there seem to be three groups:
1) O.G.: The Original Guardians, or in some cases their successors, such as the giant moray eels that killed Sinxia in the lake just a short distance from this room. Or, possibly/likely the schir demons they fought in a room. Also, the shadow mastiffs that were part of a summoning trap.
2) "Employees:" The Gray Maidens and their group. Gnaeus Gnaru, a dhampir from whom Fallon has her shiny sword. Mochtau the cave giantess. Basically, monsters and folk who have either tripped their way here or were enticed here, but seem to be set to guard various areas in regard to ...
3) Unknown: Some force, or allied group, or entity ... seems to be using the Lady's Light as their own playground. They have yet to be revealed.

[silphael]

While eating, Erima looks around for her weapon. She feels that it's close, but she can't really tell how or why.

[lostsole31]

Every time Erima tries to concentrate on the whereabouts of her magical greataxe .... a lost cause to be sure, given that her axe was enchanted, but to which she previously held no special bond ... she gets a headache. Not one of those top- or back-of-head headaches, but a strong sinus headache at her brow.

[silphael]

Exploring her pain, Erima lays one hand to her brow, trying to pinpoint and appease the feeling.

[lostsole31]

The pain grows, but so does the localization. At some point, Erima swears she feels ... something ... that is definitely the skin where the bridge of the nose gives way to the are between her brow.

[silphael]

Instead of giving up, she keeps focusing on it, not planning to stop until she faints or vomits.

[lostsole31]

If her concentration wanes, the "solidity" of whatever she is feeling wanes. When she refocuses her concentration, that soiidity returns. Erima continues to focus, and while there is mental pressure, it isn't actually pain, per se. Before long, she pulls forth from her brow a bead of what looks like a half-palm-sized chunk of uneven amethyst.

EVERYONE is watching this now, as Erima pulls a pretty purple rock out of her head ... when there didn't appear to be any previously.

[Tippnick]

"How extraordinary!", Iluvar exclaims. "What can that be?"

[silphael]

"I was feeling that my weapon was nearby, and tried to refine that feeling, but here's what happened. From what I know, that looks like a psicrystal. And since I got the feeling when thinking about my weapon, I guess I can..."

She represents the psicrystal as an axe in her mind, trying to shape it.

[lostsole31]

Sure enough, she is able to visualize her axe, which as she watches the crystal matrices replicate, grow, and fill-in ... that visualization naturally changes to allow for a new aesthetic befitting a crystal, not steel, medium. Before long, she has it ... a deep purple, single bit greataxe darknening to a darker, almost black, coloring.

[Tippnick]

Iluvar looks impressed.

[Tippnick]

Through the night when he gets a chance- Iluvar will go to each of his companions and introduce himself. He explains he is trained as a monk and is an Inquistor of Pharasma. He will also expend his remaining healing spells to heal himself and Telgarana.

[LazarX]

Telgarana whistles as she starges at the newly made axe.

"Impressive but that really does clash with the Green Knight look you've been rocking. Oh well, here's to a sleep without dreams."

[silphael]

The armor seems to disagree, interacting with the weapon, adding a few mobile green crystals.

"I don't care about what visually clashes or not : I am unburdened by such petty notions as fashion !"

Contrary to her tune, she smirks, and laughs out loud after her sentence.

[lostsole31]

Wealday ...

The next morning, the group prepares themselves for the day.

"I am going to wait here," says Teofilo, having brought forth an earth elemental to aid him. "Since we have a prisoner here, and to not cramp up the hallways, I and my aide will make sure that we are not negligent captors. I do not sense evil in the heart of the Gray Maiden, only indoctrination that time must untangle."

The Scribe nods, "Very well."

He looks to the rest of his fellow Pathfinders at the table. "My plan to begin today is to go back to the baths next door and begin checking the door to the east, and begin exploring that way. Telgarana, you look like a striker, but I hear the unmistakable tinkle of mithral links under your clothing .. and your movements and equipment tells me that your bow is a weapon you'd rather not prefer. With no shield, I'd like you to be in the front to cover Fallon. She has an uncanny knack for noticing danger.

"Erima, second rank with Iluvar - anchor and mover. I and Rezah will cover the rear, possibly with a mobility gap if we have to spread out in a tight passage.

"Any questions?"

Also, does anyone cast or prepare anything now before heading out?

[Tippnick]

Iluvar shakes his head negatively. "I am ready to proceed."

[LazarX]

Spoiler: Preparation

Show

Before the party leaves the shelter Telgarana activates her brooch to take on a Human seeming her sleeves of many garments to give her clothing a more nondescript look and use prestidgitation to give her hair a more Humajn like brown appearance. When the party gets to it's objective, Telgarana will cast Ablative Barrier on herself before we enter.

She replies to the Scribe. "While the bow isn't my primary weapon and sees less use these days, I've taken down harpies who were fond of dive and strike tactics with it. I'm perfectly happy to abide with your choice in placement, at least for now. Striker, Mover, and Anchor. Master Marcos would find your choice of terms.... interesting."

[lostsole31]

The bathing room ends to the east at an immense panel of reddish metal that is nearly twenty feet tall and ten feet wide. Dozens of scenes have been carved into individual one-foot-square frames on the panel. These scenes chronicle a beautiful woman engaged in a magical incantation involving some sort of winged creatures.

The lack of visible hinges or a handle might obscure the fact that this immense metal wall is in fact a door. The door itself is made of a djezet alloy that’s as hard as steel (djezet is a skymetal, as The Scribe mentions). Fallon reveals that the metal wall is in fact a door, and that each of the panels on the door can be depressed as if they were buttons. One of these buttons (the central one) causes the door to swing open silently; at one point, pressing the other buttons summoned powerful succubus guardians who were bound into the door, but over time, all of the succubi who guarded this area have escaped, and this trap/panic button(s) is now obsolete.

The buttons themselves depict Runelord Sorshen conjuring succubi and binding them into all matter of objects, structures, and carvings. The Scribe explains that the images depict a powerful wizard infusing objects and locations within the Lady’s Light with succubi, likely to power magical effects and traps, to serve as guardians, or simply to punish the succubi. The central panel depicts Sorshen binding a particularly powerful-looking succubus into what would seem to be the scepter held aloft by the Lady’s Light. When this panel is pushed, it glows softly as Thassilonian writing appears along the panel’s upper edge. Sensing a change in boundaries, Telgarana casts ablative barrier on herself.

Only The Scribe and Fallon speak Thassilonian, and translate the phrase “Ayandamahla is bound to the Light for all ages” as the door itself swings open.

This long gallery is striking and gaudy. The walls are painted a shimmering golden hue, with similarly gilt columns running down the center. Black marble statues of the same beautiful woman stand to the north and south—an inscription has been carved into each statue’s base. Each statue holds out a hand as if in greeting. Rich tapestries hang on the walls at the center of the gallery, while set at intervals along the tiled floor are three great golden plates, slightly recessed. The ceiling is made of black marble shot through with a sparkling material. The same globes of continual light light these chambers as they do all other chambers.

Telgarana, since you are at the front of the bus with Fallon, what do you do/ recommend?

[LazarX]

Telgarana defers to Fallon's expertise with this area and will move with her, assuming that her shard indicates that this is the direction to go for now. She now appears as a brown haired Human woman with fairly nondescript clothing.

[lostsole31]

Telga, human swordwoman, as you hold the shard and concentrate to find the next one, you sense it is close, but that doesn't lead you in a direction, so much so as you sense you are in the "general area of" and that is as good as it gets.

Meanwhile, Fallon gestures for Telgarana and the rest to stay back. She advances forward and to the side carefully. She casts detect magic. She will call out what she sees in the room.

"All four of these statues seem to be Sorshen. There's an inscription at the base: 'By my touch may you enter the shining glory of my inner sanctum.' Okay, fascinating. .... These two plates register as magic. ..... Wait a minute. Okay, so, the statues my spell reaches and the two golden plates all register strong conjuration magic. ... I'm farther down, now I see the other statues and last golden plate with my divination. All statues and golden plates register the same strong conjuration magic. ..... Now, the eastern and western plates have a dull finish, but this central plate is brightly polished. .... Now, my mothy senses aren't tingling, so this doesn't seem like a trap ... but I don't want to randomly start touching strong-magic glowing statues and golden plates. .......... Okay, far end of the hallway. This is weird. You know all of these djezet and siccatite doors we've had? This one is suprisingly normal ... a broad, oaken door. No apparent lock or handle, leading me to believe it gets pushed open to the east."

She returns to the party.

[Tippnick]

"Anyone very skilled in identifying spells?", Iluvar inquires. "I might be able to help",

[LazarX]

Telgarana adds "My approach to magic is more practical then theoretical but maybe I can give it a shot."


[spoiler= Magic Detective Time!] Telgarana casts Detect Magic Spellcraft Check (d20+15)[27] [/spoiler]