[e20 PF] And with strange aeons...

[Scott DeWar]

The door opens, and you enter into the fortress of the Weaponers. Armored guards, all dwarves, escort you through another set of door, to a stiflingly small office.

You find yourselves all too close to a dwarven merchant behind an oak desk. He's got a dark beard and red leather armor on, a pock-marked nose, and a sheaf of papers and a quill in his hands. The three of you are squished into one five-foot space, and a ceiling only just six feet high.

Gentlemen, make yourselves at home. What can I do for you?

The ranger clears his throat and in a respectful but straightforward tone he says, "good day sir. We have some murchandice that we are in need of trad for gems or coin that we believe you could be in the market for." He carefully removes one of the daggers he has on his person and places it on the desk for the Dwarf to examine.

 

[jackslate45]

[sblock=Temple of Iomedae] Xanfire is led beyond the common prayer area of the Temple, through a set of doors to where the priesthood spends their days. However, they are not headed to the Grand Templar's office.

I'm afraid you timing is impeccable, Xanfire. More than you know, and that's what scares me. The Old Woman sent for you before you and your friends arrived. I think she saw something in her visions, and you know what that means... The paladin left off ominously as you made your way towards the office of the High Cleric of Iomedae.

In the office, going through the doors, you see the High Cleric seated behind a desk, and in front of the desk are chairs, apparently for you and one other: an old woman covered by funeral veils, with a withered hands on her lap. In her hand is a string of beads, and her bony thumb clicks through them one by one.

Despite all your adventures, you've only ever heard of "the Old Woman", a mystic Oracle of immense age and wisdom who spends her time cloistered away from the world. You're not sure where she fits into the hierarchy of the church, or even if she's an Oracle of Iomedae (though she should be, considering the High Cleric is dealing with her). Only that occasionally she gets visions that have to do with you, and that there are some orders from your church that you're sure had to do with one of her visions; these led to adventures, including your participation in events that worked out in strange ways simply because you were there. Even for a master cleric like yourself, that's eerie.

The High Cleric (who you remember showing how to do certain prayers years back; gosh, you've been teaching a lot of these high ups in the Church of Iomedae, and they've done well for themelves) looks at you with a certain awe: the Old Woman was right again!

Xanfire! You're here, I--

The Old Woman cuts in.

The sun rises and sets and you know not why, but this mystery amazes you, strange these High Clerics and their lack of faith. Xanfire, you have arrived with a warning and found only questions. Come and say what you are here to say, but know that great sorrow awaits you at the end of our meeting. She doesn't look at you, but only the click click clack of the beads in her fingers makes any noise in the silence between her words and whatever you say next.[/sblock]

Xanfire could hardly believe that after all these years, he finally met the Old Woman. There are a number of times he had missed her by seconds, he was sure of it. However, the fact that she had waited for him here, and actually called to meet with him, gave him a very bad feeling.

With a small sigh, Xanfire straigtens his back. "Very well. Here is what happend... " and started the story. When he metions having sworn Malacarus to his service, the High Cleric looks aghast, and Grand Templar stammers "By the Nine Hells, what were you thinking Xanfire!" Xanfire states, with irritation in his voice "Malacarus is very powerful, there is no argument there. Him being there was instrumental in our victory against this Emmisary. And he will offer himself up to us after our victory. He has shown a record of keeping his promises. Or do you forget that insident at the temple in [Other temple], when you were taken hostage? He let everyone go, AS PROMISED, with his defeat. Now then..."

The explanation of the events took about 5 minutes. With the story told, Xanfire pauses a second. He had a bad feeling about the next few minutes. Looking at the Old Woman and the rest gathered here, Xanfire asks "Now, who is this man? Do we have a name for him? What do you forsee for us?"

 

[WarlockLord]

Malacarus merely waits and watches the results of Thadeius' negotiations.

 

[Lughart]

Gerhard sits down, trying to hide his discomfort and failing. He waits for the dwarf to examine the dagger before speaking.

"Hacks work, of course, but made of real adamantine. We have recently come across several tons of the material. If you're interested we could handle any quantity you want to purchase."

 

[fireinthedust]

[sblock=Weaponers] Gerhard tries to sit down, and makes it, but pushes his friends against the wall. Armor squeaks against armor, until his finally pulls the chair out: the only method of getting into it is by stepping over it. Sitting down brings his head to about cod piece level with his friends, and just below the chin of the dwarven weaponer. Clearly this is intentional in the room's design (dwarves with wares this good don't want people feeling too comfortable), but showing any sign of discomfort would be like showing weakness. It could lose them any future ability to deal with the dwarves.

Well, let's see... huh, weird stuff. What, did you get a *wizard* to fabricate these?! Well, we'd buy them for the metal. Interesting alloy... How much do you have?[/sblock]

[sblock=Xanfire]
ooc: let me talk for the npcs; I might have tricks up my sleeve and things I couldn't have them say that they otherwise might (ie: everyone is a werewolf doppleganger, so they'd never touch the silver dagger of truth you want to show them; so they can't take it and go "hmmm, nice dagger, tastes like silver"). In this adventure I just might have done that, or may do it, just saying. In this case, though, that's exactly what I would have had the Templar say, so you nailed it.

IC:

There is a threat to the gods that walks upon Golarion. That man who has conquered the nation of your enemy-ally is but the first finger of the misfortune to come. The great undoing that will swallow our world. I have seen it.

The future is in your hands, Xanfire, and those of your friends. Should you perish in this undertaking and your souls be forever devoured beyond the power of Iomedae or any other to raise, the price for you would not be too high.

You must find the Astral Necronomicon, that book from which the fiend who dwells in your enemy's kingdom received his. That is all I know. If not, you cannot know how to defeat him. If you fail to do that, then one by one there shall come beings of horrible power upon Golarion, to devour our world. To devour the gods themselves.

This I have seen.

There is a long silence and horrified looks on the Templar and the Cleric's faces; possibly even yours, if you could feel your face. It would be unbelievable if this wasn't the Old Woman herself saying it.

The High Cleric speaks first This is blasphemy! Impossible! Iomedae, the gods, they, they couldn't allow this![/sblock]

[sblock=Unblinking Eye]

The voice hangs in the air. And how are we to know this is no trick? You come to us in the form of Thadeius, but wrapped in the magic of a shapeshifter? And with you comes a dark elf most sinister wrapped in illusion, with his old comrade with him? Did you think the Unblinking Eye could be so fooled as to not see the truth?

ooc: you are aware that it is a breach of protocol to have 9th level spells that let you transform into *anything* (from dragon to golem to linnorm, etc.) on while entering the sanctum sanctorum of an esoteric society of mages.

Knowledge: the Unblinking Eye is fairly reclusive, though involved in the purchase of magical items. They are great diviners, thus the eye motif. They have a thing for seeing the truth beyond reality, looking through illusions, so True Seeing is likely standard issue for their high ups. Otherwise, you know that they buy a lot of items, but don't sell them to others. They sell their services as battle mages to small armies, and as sages and oracles. Their mages never show their faces in public, always wearing veils with a large eye motif over their heads.

And that's it: esoteric = really secretive. Knowing about them means taking their secrets (which they don't want) or destroying them as a rival mage (which they don't want).
If you'd cared you could have used your scrying ages ago, but it hasn't really been worth your notice until recently. Adventuring mages spend less time involved in mage society politics, so espionage hasn't been a big deal for you. You're more likely to have purchased items, so needed to have good relations, than worrying about getting into their secret club. They're fairly obscure, too, so haven't been more than a blip on your magic-item-buying/selling radar.

Honestly, though, I don't know how much either of you would know about a mages society ie: wouldn't a 20th level wizard know a lot? I'm not sure. They work hard to remain secretive is all I'm saying.

In fact, I don't know whether their having an extra-dimensional base inside Absalom would hit you as a surprise. Usually other wizards aren't as powerful as this would need, or even as powerful as you two: you're kinda the Elminsters of this setting (well, not quite, but you're up there). Maybe this is a Magnificent Mansion effect?
[/sblock]

 

[Aldern Foxglove]

"Do you seriously expect me to lend credence to the idea that the Unblinking Eye does not have the means to cast True Seeing? If so I have clearly come to the wrong place. I mean no disrespect, but I face dangerous foes and to dismiss a powerful and useful magic like this for a petty politeness hardly seems appropriate or wise.

The Dark Elf is wrapped in my own illusion and I will guarantee his behavior, one way or another. We face a foe that is a threat to all, including yourselves, otherwise what reason would I have to treat with both a foe and an ancient enemy of my race.

Come now we are Mages I am sure I am telling you nothing you have not figured out for yourselves and I grow weary of it. I wish to make an exchange that will be doubly profitable for you, it will both enrich you and aide us in defeating a foe that would eventually do you harm."

 

[Lughart]

"Two tons, give or take. And yes, the knife is bent into shape by magic, not a proper forge."

 

[Aldern Foxglove]

[sblock=Bent into Shape!]
That was a 28 craft check MW only requires 20, bent into shape indeed... [/sblock]

 

[jackslate45]

Xanfire was still in shock over hearing the old woman's reply. "Astral Necronomicon?" I have a few more questions for Malacarus ...

However, the High Cleric's outburst was correct. He decided to follow up with another question: "Surly, just as the High Cleric said, something that is so dangerous to the gods will not be put to justice? Or..." with a sudden thought " what if the gods themselves cannot harm this thing? Is that why they will be destroyed? "

Xanfire waits patiently for the response.

[sblock=FitD]
Sorry bout that... I figured that if someone of such an important religious stature said "Oh BTW bad guy and I are friends now" it would be a "wait WHAT?!" kinda moment.
[/sblock]

 

[fireinthedust]

[sblock=Unblinking Eye] Our laws are our laws and cannot be-- (pause) --You have something you wish to sell. Show us, and we shall decide to trade with you.[/sblock]

[sblock=Temple] The Old Woman does not answer right away, instead drawing her hand back beneath her shawls. I have said what I have seen, Xanfire. If you have more to ask of the gods, then you should ask them.

She slowly gets up out of her chair and makes her way to a small door to the side of the High Cleric's office, presumably whence she came in; it is flush to the wall, unnoticable behind a tapestry, but she opens it and hobbles through. She calls back as she goes. There is no time to lose, young one. No time at all. There will be no time.[/sblock]

[sblock=weaponers]Two tons of Adamantine? Worked as badly as this? Well, I won't be buying it for the craftsmanship, that's for sure. And considering the cost of melting it down... strange ingots, you know... I'll give you 50,000 gold for the whole lot[/sblock]