Tolben studies the warding enchantment the fallen Primordial carried, and finds it to be quite clever. It appears it drains the energy of force-based magic away, essentially dumping it into the Astral plane to reduce its effects. It's a different mode of protection than an elemental ward, but it follows many of the same principles, and he thinks he can design a spell which will duplicate its effects without heavily taxing his resources.

Tolben's testing is exhaustive. He shines lights into the dead eyes, scrapes dozens of materials against the Primordial's skin and bones to test for hardness, burns and freezes and dissolves samples, and subjects some to every school of magic. At times, such exclamations as "Hmm...", "What, really?" and "Ouch!" can be heard. He even brings up some of his more interesting findings to Valdr, as his need to show off is stronger than the desire to keep secrets from a rival.

His notes this time are far longer and more rigorous than before, since he is devoting more time to the task. Some of the material is so revolutionary that if he were ever to publish a formal writeup, his reputation as a research wizard would forevermore exceed his reputation for combat magic - at least in certain circles. Sadly, such a manifesto would likely take years (and many new findings) to compile fully.

The crown jewel of his discoveries is the reverse-engineering of the Primordial's wards. Privately he might admit it to be sloppy and inefficient, but nonetheless his new spell is a rare achievement. To deflect magic into the Astral Plane... what other uses might there be for this technique?

Having worked all day, night, and day again, Tolben finally succumbs to fatigue. With an envious thought about a certain lich, he retires to his demiplane to get some sleep.

As a new day dawns, Tolben lingers in bed. It isn't until noon in his demiplane that he finally manages to rise and prepare his spells once more.

The insights of the last two days are fresh in his mind, but nonetheless he turns himself to different tasks.

Taking up a world map, and then a globe, he marks the locations of the attacks so far. There must be some pattern to them - just as there is to the timing. The pattern has so far eluded him, despite every calculation, but he has new ideas to put to the test.

He draws on the strange powers he learned from the creatures, and for an instant he knows nothing - and everything. As infinite knowledge drains from his overwhelmed mind, he manages to hold on to one tiny piece of information.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)

Action:
Flash of Omniscience (Archmage path ability), functions as Divination with some modifications. The chance of success is 93% (70% base + 21% CL + 2% tier). The roll is made secretly, so I won't do it myself - but I'm supposed to know if it fails (presumably, the information Tolben manages to hold on to is useless).

---

"Quantium. Of course, I understand now. I must remember to tell the others."

Of a dozen pressing issues, Tolben decides to address the matter of the gas giants. He invokes the powerful dweomer, Discern Location, to find the mount of the gas denizen who he observed before; if they haven't already gone home, he will visit them.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Sat 08 Feb 2020.

Tolben immediately discerns the location of the great spacefaring beast he saw before. It is in low orbit over...Quantium. Exactly over Quantium.

"Quantium again... Looks like a productive lead."

Tolben spends a minute preparing another spell, before casting Plane Shift.

Arriving back in Golarion, he spends ten minutes sending a Sending to Shovash - possibly the most invested in success at the next fight.


Sending to Shovash:
"Next attack Quantium. Going orbit to meet gas gianter, found same thing. Take care in Cenotaph. Please bring back spellbooks. Good luck."


Shielding himself from the airless Void, Tolben invokes a powerful teleport. He brings himself to low orbit over Quantium, to meet the spacefaring beast and, presumably, its master.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:34, Thu 13 Feb 2020.

Tolben rips himself through space, and finds the oma exactly where his spell indicated it would be. The whale-like creature is drifting in orbit over Quantium, placid and unmoving  as the world turns beneath it. It watches Tolben for a moment, then opens its mouth and disgorges...something.

The gas gianter is eight feet tall, thin and bony, wearing violet robes that match the color of its oversized eyes. It tilts its head to the side, looking at him, and then a voice speaks in his mind, crisp and clear. It's not emotional and organic like Shovash's, more like the precise, logical diction of Cass's magic.

Greetings, as one void-walker to another.

Tolben projects his words past the void where his mind should be, relying on the gas gianter's apparent telepathy.

I greet you in turn. I apologise for my preoccupation when last we met. What interests you in this small world? The Primordials, perhaps?

The alien doesn't move, but a sort of affirmation comes to Tolben, an awareness of accuracy. The Primordials are a topic of great interest to us. They are beings of power that could threaten our world. Additionally, the weapon that your associate has now deployed twice is a serious threat to us. We analyze threats. We respond to threats. We eliminate threats.

There's no hint of threat to it, which in a way makes it even more intimidating. A simple statement of fact, distant, dispassionate.

Tolben emits the slightest hint of worry, and curiosity.

Twice, now? That is concerning.

Tolben pauses for a mere instant to gather his thoughts.

Some issues are best resolved through force, some through dialogue, and some... can be allowed to resolve themselves. I had assumed that my friend's actions fell into the third category. It seems I was in error.

He brings forth ambiguity, inviting a response.

Interesting. We are glad that you are open to dialogue. We do not lightly engage in conflict with our fellows. The violet eyes blink slowly closed, then open again. How do you propose to resolve the issue now that your associate has demonstrated their willingness to deploy this weapon again, and against animate forces?

Tolben takes a moment to ponder the problem before responding.

I will first respond by conversing with her. Point out that her reckless and destructive approach is counterproductive. I will suggest a retreat into isolation, introspection. If she will not make a firm commitment to cease... I will enlist the assistance of other friends, or... take unilateral action to contain the threat.

Tolben's mental voice is flat and dispassionate, his feelings buried behind magic and a problem-solving mindset; however, any observer familiar with human mannerisms could easily see the turmoil within.

We see. We are satisfied with this. We will remain to observe the situation's developments. The figure makes an odd twisting gesture with one limb, and floats away, towards the oma.

As the entity turns away, Tolben abandons words to convey a final question.

A concept: Primordials. A location: The world below, centred on Nex. A concept: Knowledge, place, time. A query: How? Why?

Oh, yes. The Primordials' manifestation warps local spacetime in ways that are fairly easy to detect with the right divination. The effect permeates your planet's vicinity, but it is strongest in the proximate four-dimensional locus in which they manifest. Once we detect the warping, a simple cross-analysis with high value strategic targets localizes the arrival point. The thoughts carry a complex series of thoughtforms with them: formulae describing a curvature in the fabric of spacetime on a grand scale, increasing exponentially with time until there's...a rupture? A break? A collapse? Something of all three. The progression curves and descriptors all line up right with the previous attack patterns.

Tolben is fairly sure that he could design a divination spell that works off of this model and which has sufficient range that with a little triangulation, he could work out the location of the next attack without the use of his greater vision - which he now realizes localized this attack by detecting that same spacetime warping.