Pathfinder 1E [IC] - TIDERULER OF MARAN

[Archon Basileus]

"I...Klutha...I did pierce the veil...but I'm at a loss how to answer its call. What would you say to yourself at the time when we took those prisoners and fought the wyvern for the first time? Blood formula that got us here, that's the secret...but are we really getting what we wanted at that time? Where is the sky above us? My love, what is the price of the world? How did it go, the formula?"

She seems eager to share, much to the amusement of Mhuagra, always observant. But before she can continue, Hagadark stops her, realizing how he brought about the end the spirits most desired: as they return, the tribes become theirs to command, perhaps never to be free.

Still, he understands he has an easy way to build into himself and others the blood to wield the Tideruler. And, as usual, this too bears a heavy price.

Despite Hagadark's sudden observation, Klutha continues.

"The Chamber of Kings. All that matters lies in there. When you reach the Tideruler" - she points towards Hagadark - "make sure only those you'll need to fix our legacy are in the Chamber. All others must not be allowed to join, lest they interfere in what comes next." - she falls silent, respecting Hagadark's wishes, but still alert. IN the back, Mhuagra's soft, old, rancid laugh can be heard, almost in whispers.

"Two questions only then, for now," she said. "First, what do you mean when you say 'every time?' You've implied several times now that this situation is familiar to you. Why?"

"Because it is, after living it over, and over again, from a place where time has no meaning." - surprisingly, she chuckles at the thought. " But then again, it holds no meaning to you as well..."

"Second, can you tell me where to find the Tideruler, and what protections bar our path to it? I'm more interested in the lore of it, but lets focus on the practical side of things for the moment."

She seems to reflect upon the answer for a while, her thoughts beyond reach.

"It is beyond your reach, within a dimensional vault that won't open, unless the right circumstances are met. Lost, even to gods, but not to the heirs of those that should have worn it, long ago. You will gather the elements you need. Dram can tell you aaaall about them, can't he?" - she seems to hold a mocking posture before the entire debate.
[MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801311]KahlessNestor[/MENTION] [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] [MENTION=87106]MetaVoid[/MENTION]

 

[KahlessNestor]

Near Maran
Night
Round 0

Morgrym looks to the dwarves all around them, at Grontar and the other warriors. He frowns. Wasn’t Grontar killed by the draconic creature they defeated in the Gardener’s home?

“I’ve been told usin’ the Tideruler might save us, but ‘twill release a far greater evil upon the lands,” he told his sister. “‘Tis the Abyssal bargain, ‘tis,” he grumbled into his beard. “I’m no’ sure it shuild e’er see the light o’ day again.”

[sblock=Actions and Rolls]
Move:
Action:
[/sblock]

[sblock=Ministats]
HP: 59/59 NL: 0
AC: 17 FF: 11 T: 16 (+4 vs Giants)
CMD: 16 (+2 vs bull rush, trip)
Fort: 8 Ref: 2 Will: 8 (+2 vs poisons, spells, SLA; +4 v fey and plant effects)
Armed: MW Cold Iron Battleaxe
Ammunition: 9/10 bullets
Storm Burst 6/7/day
Wild Shape 1/1/day

Conditions:

Spells Prepared
0: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
1: Obscuring Mist (Domain), Cure Light Wounds, Produce Flame, Faerie Fire*, [Summon Nature’s Ally 1 (Spontaneous)]
2: Fog Cloud (Domain), Barkskin*, Flaming Sphere*, [Summon Nature’s Ally II (Spontaneous)]
3: Call Lightning (Domain), Cure Moderate Wounds, Protection from Energy, [Summon Nature’s Ally III (Spontaneous)][/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

Shayuri, the sorceress, frowns thoughtfully at the entity's answers, but ultimately elects not to betray her own words and begin peppering it with more questions. Risks would be more manageable if taken in small chunks...and they were not in a particular rush it seemed.

"Thank you then," she said as she opened the flap of her satchel. "We'll speak more of this later."

The idol went into the bag, and for a moment Shayuri closed her mind and introspected, trying to suss out if the mental contact was gone or still lurking within her.

To those others that were nearby, watching her, the sorceress said, "Some strange things. A few encouraging, a few unsettling. I'll wait until everyone's together to explain in detail."

 

[MetaVoid]

"You can explain, I believe we're all here. And I would like your decision as a group, if you're going with me to see Dram." half-orc returns to the group after conferring with the burly orc earlier.

 

[Shayuri]

She looks around and shrugs.

"All right. Well, the Tideruler seems to be extremely well protected, for one. According to the presence in the statuette, it's sealed into a vault in what I assume is a kind of pocket plane, or perhaps a subset of an existing larger plane. Either way, not anywhere on this world. Gaining access to that vault requires 'circumstances to be right,' but it either doesn't know or has chosen not to elaborate on what those circumstances are."

"She did however, note that we'd need to collect certain elements and that Dram could help us do that."

Here Shayuri shook her head, a little troubled. "For an ancient spirit in a statuette buried in a mountain, she seems very up-to-date on what's happening, and who we are. She mentioned that she either had been or was now 'outside' of time, and thus had somehow experienced all this before."

"I can't explain exactly why, but something about her bothers me. I don't entirely trust her...but I do believe she wants us to reach the Tideruler. Beyond that...well, I will be cautious."

The sorceress looked at the others.

"So. Tell me about this Dram fellow."

 

[Archon Basileus]

MORGRYM

“I’ve been told usin’ the Tideruler might save us, but ‘twill release a far greater evil upon the lands,” he told his sister. “‘Tis the Abyssal bargain, ‘tis,” he grumbled into his beard. “I’m no’ sure it shuild e’er see the light o’ day again.”

"Seems ta me it did 'nough already..." - she glances at her brother, holding back her sadness. "I'll bring it to them, I will. But I do suspect they might know somethin'bout it, already." - she looks over her shoulders. "I overheard Grontar talk to his own... The priestess isn't so sure 'bout this plan, she told me, hush-hushing. Seems they know a whole lot 'bout the thing. Seems they know enough ta bring up Maran. They knew 'bout the Tideruler before coming here, them Braves." - she speaks quietly. "Now, they don't know 'bout you yet... I'll go back, question them. Try to discover more, Morgrym... And, by the gods, be careful!" - she embraces her brother, a sense of urgency gathering upon both of them and, as she says her goodbyes, Morgrym's vision blurs, as if under the effect of strong mead... And suddenly he is once more before his allies, walking towards them as before.


EVERYONE

Arvana rises, a guilty look upon her face.

"I'm sorry for that. I never meant to put you in danger... The statue... I thought it might aid you... Us... Considering your heritage, as well as the backstory of the thing..." - she presents her excuses, and somehow, even after her reassuring meditations, Shayuri still feels that the spirit lingers around her mind, watching, but dormant.
[MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION] [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] [MENTION=87106]MetaVoid[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801311]KahlessNestor[/MENTION]

 

[KahlessNestor]

Near Maran
Night
Round 0

Morgrym shakes off the last remnants of the vision crowding his mind. Had that been a true-seeing? Or was he hallucinating?

The dwarven druid could be smelled before he came in sight of the others again. He glanced at them, all around in a circle of some kind gathered around the strange horned girl that had joined them in the battle against the reptilians.

“Wot noo?” Morgrym asked warily.

[sblock=Actions and Rolls]
Move:
Action:
[/sblock]

[sblock=Ministats]
HP: 59/59 NL: 0
AC: 17 FF: 11 T: 16 (+4 vs Giants)
CMD: 16 (+2 vs bull rush, trip)
Fort: 8 Ref: 2 Will: 8 (+2 vs poisons, spells, SLA; +4 v fey and plant effects)
Armed: MW Cold Iron Battleaxe
Ammunition: 9/10 bullets
Storm Burst 6/7/day
Wild Shape 1/1/day

Conditions:

Spells Prepared
0: Create Water, Detect Magic, Light, Stabilize
1: Obscuring Mist (Domain), Cure Light Wounds, Produce Flame, Faerie Fire*, [Summon Nature’s Ally 1 (Spontaneous)]
2: Fog Cloud (Domain), Barkskin*, Flaming Sphere*, [Summon Nature’s Ally II (Spontaneous)]
3: Call Lightning (Domain), Cure Moderate Wounds, Protection from Energy, [Summon Nature’s Ally III (Spontaneous)][/sblock]

 

[Archon Basileus]

Morgrym's return is sudden, as if he came striding from a hidden road, perhaps born beneath the sands. Arvana is the first one to raise her eyes.

"We're not alone, apparently. And whatever lies with us knows of our cause. As if it repeated itself over and over again" - Arvana seems to consider her words, keeping them short for the time being.

"It's a first. Supposedly the thing in the statue knows about the Tideruler, as well as about us, according to the sorceress" - she points out to Shayuri. "Assuming she speaks the truth about having lived this moment over and over again, do you think she might have planned her presence here? I assume it would be quite difficult. As far as I know, she's been stuck inside the statuette, unreachable, for ages." - she continues. "I suppose the holders could know more about it." - she looks towards the southern coast, a puzzling, unreadable reaction upon her face.
[MENTION=24380]Neurotic[/MENTION] [MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] [MENTION=87106]MetaVoid[/MENTION] [MENTION=6801311]KahlessNestor[/MENTION]

 

[Shayuri]

Shayuri shrugs. "She may have known to expect us...it may have been hard for her to tell precisely when unless she was meticulously counting days. Even that assumes things play out identically every single time, even if my half-baked idea is accurate. Also..." she grimaces, "she's maintaining the mental connection, so it's possible she can hear us talking. Something to bear in mind."

"The course seems clear though. Dram. What do we know of him, and where to find him?"

 

[Neurotic]

"We listen, we learn, we get what we need to get to the Tideruler. Bit what do we do with it?" Marius answers.
"I had...a vision, I guess, too. It told me to find the gold dragon of legend. I need to meditate on my knowledge. Shayuri, when you get in contact with your statue again, ask it if it can contact anyone but you or if it can cause visions in others. Or detect dragon blood without touch."