About a few hundred years ago, the mages of Talsant had come to a worrisome conclusion.  This particular conclusion had required about a century of being shouted down by "wiser minds," until, at last, a panel of young upstarts had prevailed at the 202nd International Parliament of Mages.

Their conclusion was that the world was ending.

Outside the conference, however, most folks shrugged.  It was not unusual for mages to talk about worlds ending, after all.  And it was apparently two hundred years away.

The world decided that at some point, they'd get around to it.

Later, the autocrats of feudal kingdoms realized that the end of the world would eventually create panic and, possibly worse, resistance to spending one's life shackled to systems of huge wealth inequality.

The autocrats pointed out that the mages had got it wrong. Or that they had overblown the problem. That the use of umbral energy was not, in fact, eating away at the barriers between worlds like some kind of corrosive acid. It was just eating away at it a little.  Planes didn't just crash into each other.  Use of some positive energy would fix it all. Songs were paid for, and bards popularized how silly the very notion was.

So at the 400th conference of mages, the world had managed to just about ignore the problem.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:07, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

Rozzick Chesire and Sister Superior Aria were in the lounging area of the Oasis, the Archwizard's private demesne, and Dainty was flitting about, when a sending came through for the Ro'Shen Kai master.

Even in a sending, the perennial nervousness of Brother Pacha, the Ro'Shen Kai chief steward, came through clearly - there was a metallic flavor to Pacha's sendings, a taste that lingered somewhere between one's ears.

Sister Superior, we are worried about the coming Mage's Parliament. There is talk of assassins sent after the Grass Voices.  The Prophecy is clear.

The prophecy was not, in fact, clear. (The original, antique text appeared in a rolled up bamboo painting that happened to be in the Archwizard's private library.) The pair knew the Grass Voices were among those who were concerned about the use of umbral energy and the coming end. They argued for a return to nature to avert the apocalypse.

The Archwizard could sense the sending, and, as it came into his domain, he could even listen in if Sister Superior Aria were to give him permission. Naturally, the Archwizard had an invite to the conference, and at his rank, an entourage was encouraged. It was approximately a month away.

Yet, there might have been other matters on the Archwizard's mind.  The old lair of his predecessor in title had been disturbed.  He had ensured a watch on it, whether through magic or hiring of forces.  A secret room had been buried twenty feet deep behind the earthen walls of a nondescript closet. It had been excavated in haste and in secret, and the room was empty as of this morning save for a raised podium of earth on which a small chest of some type had left the faintest outline.

The world was a busy and chaotic place. Truly, the pair could find a number of other vying demands for their attention. Besides the usual political chaos of wars, noble marriages, and a rather significant rebellion against the Dragon Duke, one other item had filtered through to the pair's attention. There were sightings of unusually large phase spiders tainted by umbral energy near the city of Stormkeep. A rift so close a city was almost always suggestive of a practitioner of the dark arts. Sometimes, if a practitioner were stopped soon enough, the tear would mend - a little - enough to slow the inevitable need for mass exodus and evacuation. But perhaps this was a trivial task for such mighty beings!


OOC:  Feel free to add your own plot elements - I'll happily run them if you pursue them - and any details on what you two have been doing!

Rozzick's black wings stretched to either side of the chair he sat in. The Archwizard looked skyward and let out a wide yawn. He had been working idly on a puzzle he had brought in from the game room. Not because it was an exceptionally riveting activity, but because it helped him to think. He had been mulling over what, if anything, he should be doing about all of the pressing situations cropping up today.

"I've been considering the angles," he finally said to Aria. "More specifically, about the phase spiders, the secret room, and the assassins. Those are what I see as the most pressing issues." He absentmindedly gestured for his always-present unseen servant to begin picking up the puzzle and put it away. "Of the three matters, I feel the secret room is the most pressing. Any clues we might be able to gain could deteriorate with time. And I worry that what someone has gone to such great lengths to retrieve could be very bad for many people. I doubt it was a simple stash of scandalous block print images, or the like." He gave a sly toothy grin.

The old half-dragon then got slowly to his feet. He was magically protected from the physical effects of his venerable age, but he still couldn't help but subconsciously move like an elderly lizard sometimes. "Hopefully you are not too sentimentally attached to these "Grass Voices" you were warned about. I mean, we'll help them if we can, but you would think people in their position could thwart their own assassination attempts without our help. Or at least fend against them until we get a bit more free time to assist. And the phase spiders... Well, it is unfortunate, but I don't think we are the only ones qualified to handle that situation. Maybe Dorian Featherblight can handle that one. Or Penelope Hexhand? Maybe even Yelcanrath Stotter, if he ever got that foot regenerated." Rozzick shrugged, then folded his wings over his armored shoulders like a leathery cloak. His point was that there were options. He and Aria were not the only capable people that could be called upon. Besides, maybe the presence of the phase spiders would finally help people realize the dangers of umbral energy.

"So, I suppose, if you have no objections Sister Superior Aria, I would like to investigate the dwelling of my reviled predecessor. I gifted the residence to Lady Inkelton as a place for her to work on her golems and such. In exchange she was to keep an eye on the place and notify me of anything of note. Exactly as she has." Rozzick plucked a blueberry from a plant in a nearby pot and popped it into his mouth. With a couple of his sharp teeth now stained blue, he asked Aria, "Would you be so kind as to accompany Dainty and myself on this excursion? I feel your investigative skills will far outshine my own. If that is agreeable, we can cast our preparatory spells and leave at your earliest convenience."

Edit: Changed a name.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:59, Sat 12 Mar 2022.

Sister Aria had been lounging on one of the many plush sofas scattered about Rozzick's demiplane. She occasionally joked they should call it the Demiplane of Pillows, but for some reason the aged half-dragon had refused. It was perhaps a bit of an overstatement, but the red-haired woman felt it accurate enough. Almost casually, she reached over to a silver platter that sat on a table beside her. Upon it, small pieces of high-quality meat that were Dainty's favorite rested and the Ro'Shen Kai master enjoyed feeding the feisty compsognathus such treats.

If she was startled by the sudden interruption, she did not show it. As was her usual, she allowed Rozzick to share in the sending. The news was unpleasant, but not shocking. The Grass Voices were considered somewhat of a radicalized organization, even if those in the know knew they were in the right. It seemed the autocrats endless supply of propaganda and gold had turned most against them. While she had counseled a more moderate approach to their anti-umbral agenda, they had not listened. Now it seemed, their hubris would be their undoing.

"I gave them sound counsel and yet they continued their radical actions. You and I both know that umbral energy is dangerous. Those fools, however, continued to shout loudly and in all the wrong places. Tact is not one of their strong points," Sister Aria answered in response to Rozzick's query about her feelings toward The Grass Voices.

Without even looking over at the small dinosaur, Sister Aria picked up another juicy tidbit and tossed it toward her. It didn't even come close to hitting the ground as jaws closed swiftly around it. Wet, meaty sounds were followed by an almost bird-like trill as Dainty voiced her pleasure. The red-haired woman smiled and held out her hand. Almost immediately, the compsognathus rushed over and nuzzled the offered appendage.

"I would agree with you in principle about the phase spiders. However, I think you forgot about Dorian's existential fear of spiders. I could only imagine him dealing with ones as big as a horse and that can slip between the Ethereal and Prime at will. While it might be interesting to see how he would handle it, for scientific purposes of course, I think we should see if Penelope is available. She's always been reliable."

Standing up gracefully, Sister Aria crossed over to the same blueberry bush that the Archwizard ate from. Brushing the small fruits with her fingertips, she did not pick any. Instead, she gazed up at the towering half-dragon. She was tall for a woman, but Rozzick easily stood a foot taller. The look she gave her friend was filled with concern and she laid a hand upon his forearm and spoke once more.

"I know the stories you told me about that place, what he did to you there. Every time you return it takes a toll. I know I've said this a thousand times and you've said maybe one day, but you should destroy that place. We can find Lady Inkleton somewhere else to work on her constructs. You should reduce that entire structure and its surroundings to a smoking crater. After we investigate and see what is going on with this secret compartment of course."

Sister Aria knew that Rozzick could do exactly what she suggested. To her ordered thoughts, it seemed the perfect solution to any past or future pain. Now that the Archwizard had mastered the Art enough to create his own demiplane, The Demiplane of Pillows provisionally, the need for such a mundane dwelling was greatly minimized. In this situation, Grandmaster Kyras would have told her that feelings and motivations are not always apparent, though the aged monk would have probably couched it as some parable that tried to be mysterious, but would be just as confusing as the initial conundrum. It was a lesson that Sister Aria was still learning...

"I suppose you are correct that Dorian's phobia wouldn't make the distinction between actual spiders and phase spiders," Rozzick mused. Sometimes his logical mind was a bit too logical, and ended up glossing over the more emotional aspects of things. "If you have a way to contact Penelope, she would probably appreciate you giving her a head's up." Rozzick had surprisingly few ways of contacting people, especially outside of his Demiplane. People usually contacted him. And when he did need to speak to someone, he almost always went to speak to them in person. Perhaps it was about time he added a Sending spell to his repertoire though...

When the conversation drifted back to going to the location of Rozzick's worst years, however, Rozzick wished he could gloss over the more emotional aspects of things. But such a feat was impossible. He rested his enormous clawed hand gently on Aria's shoulder as he replied to her concerns. "It is true, going back there is always... difficult. Perhaps more so than I am ready to admit even to myself. And yes, a part of me would love to dismantle the lair brick by brick and crush it to dust. But it is no longer mine to destroy. It is Lady Inkelton's home now. A place she has laid down her roots. I am sure convincing her to move again is not outside of the realm of possibility, but I don't think I would want to convince her even if I could. You know me, Aria. I am a transmuter. I like to take something vile and transform it into something useful. The vile aspects of my past are not an exception."

He let his hand fall from Aria's shoulder, then turned away. He let out a sigh. "Hopefully this time I can close out this chapter of my life for good. It will be rough, I'm sure. But fully manageable with my two best friends at my side." Dainty rubbed against his leg affectionately, and Rozzick crouched just low enough to brush a finger against the tiny dinosaur's head. Rozzick then headed toward his room to grab his standard adventuring supplies. They had a mystery to solve.

Sister Aria nodded, "You know best about what is right for you. I can only observe and offer my opinion."

Her thoughts drifted to all the things that were going on in the world. It was definitely a chaotic time beyond the tranquility of Rozzick's demiplane. The concern about umbral energy was becoming so prevalent, that dissenting voices were nearing the need to be silenced. It was sad really, but that would be another's problem for the foreseeable future. Perhaps she could send The Grass Voices a message to warn them.

"I could scry upon Penelope. She knows what my magic feels like and I'm sure she wouldn't resist. As for contacting her, I don't have a ready way to do that. You could send a message through the spell to let her know. It is a simple spell that I do not know. I'm sure an all-powerful Archwizard such as yourself could manage such a simple cantrip."

The last was said with a wry grin. Rozzick far outstripped her in the Art, it wasn't even close. Sometimes, however, she felt he was so caught up with his grandiose plans, he forgot about the smaller things. As he walked away to get ready, she gave the Archwizard a bow.

"I shall grab my gear. It shouldn't take me more than a minute or so."

"Of course I can manage a simple cantrip," Rozzick stated matter of factly. Then, mumbling, he added "I... just need to jump through a few extra hoops to do it..."

Hastily changing the subject, Rozzick continued. "Let's hold off on spending an hour casting a Scry spell for now though. Let's go to Lady Inkelton's and see if we can get a better sense of how long this investigation will take. There is always a chance we might be able to go handle the phase spiders too."

A few minutes later, Rozzick returned wearing his pack full of gear and his hammer polearm strapped to his back. The Archwizard cast a slew of spells upon himself and Dainty, as well as one that he shared with Aria. Life Bubble. He knew she had little use for it, but at the very least it might prevent ear pain if they arrived in a location with significantly different air pressure. "When ready, grab my hand and I will transport us."

Dainty's form instantly shifted into that of a scarecrow-like gourd leshy, and she grabbed Rozzick's hand with a leafy one of her own. "Ready," she said with enthusiasm. "And thanks for all the tasty treats!" she added to Aria.

---

Here are the spells Rozzick currently has active. The only new one I am adding since character creation is casting Extended Shapechange on Dainty. (All are at +2 caster level since I am casting them while in my demiplane.) I will also use Plane Shift to take us as near to the former Archwizard lair as I can manage, then we can fly from there. Aria, Dainty can become a dragon and give you a lift if your fly speed is less than 120.

Permanent Detect Magic
48 hours, Extended Greater Age Resistance
Until recalled, Secluded Grimoire
24 hours, Merge with Familiar
23 hours, Mage Armor (on familiar)
24 days, Crafter's Fortune
24 hours, Countless Eyes
24 hours, Greater Magic Weapon (on Lucerne Hammer)
24 hours, Overland Flight
24 hours, Mind Blank
8 hours, Extended Shapechange (using a rod)
8 hours, Extended Shapechange (on Dainty, using a rod)
16 hours each, Life Bubble (self, Aria, familiar)
1 hour, Prestidigitation

OOC
My flight speed is 90'. However, do you have a faster fly speed? You have Overland Flight cast which only gives you a Fly speed of 40. Do you have another, faster way to fly?

OOC
With the Shapechange spell there are several forms Dainty and I can take that grant a 120 ft fly speed. Overland Flight is a backup in case I am in the air and want to turn into something without a fly speed. I also have a natural fly speed of 60 in my base form with my umbral dragon wings.

Nods

They make the shift from the Oasis to the Material Realm, bursting into into a roiling thunderstorm, with heavy sheets of rain pouring - instantly, they are grateful for the Archwizard's life bubble, which forms a comfortable margin of dry air around each of them. The Sister Superior quickly orients, despite the downpour, and points the way to the Red Mountains, near which they emerged, and they fly at a rapid clip, before alighting at the entrance to a cave, well hidden in a mountainous valley.

No matter how he tries, Rozzick finds that he always emerges easily at hand to this domain, as if yet bound to it.

The storm cracks one last fury of thunder as they step inside. A few steps in, they feel Lady Inkelton's wards pass over them, and the sound outside becomes muffled, unreal. They continue down a rough, earthen corridor, lit by magical lights. The corridor branches, but they know the way, taking the far-right path, until it opens into a vast, open part of the inner mountain.

The room below them - were it not for its history - would be breathtaking.

It stretches 300 feet long and 200 wide. The ceiling and walls are a smooth, volcanic glass, polished with a mirroring amalgam, giving the impression of an even vaster hall through reflection.  A thousand magical lights set throughout the walls are multiplied and seem almost like stars shining deep in the mirrored surfaces. An army of unfinished golems stand in rows near the back at permanent attention, like a terracotta army, and long workbenches with regents and barrels full of parts, are organized in neat rows up front.

Walking with short but rapid strides, a spritely woman joins them. She has hexagonal glasses, a long nose, and harried eyes. Lady Inkleton is about 60, but she has the ageless look of a mage.

"Archwizard, Sister Superior, I'm glad you came!  You must see this."

She exchanges pleasantries along the way, in a curt way - being social was never her strong suit - but she is direct in leading them to another series of corridors, which terminate in a closet.  Opening the door, she shows them where a tunnel now exists - the result of a series of well-aimed disintegration spells (Knowledge Arcana 25+), as no tool would make so clean a cut.

She leads them down the tunnel and into a room, which is small and cramped.  A raised stand of earth - like a podium - is in the middle. Otherwise, the room is bare, and, it seems, disconnected from the rest of the lair.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:21, Mon 14 Mar 2022.

"You know, I never get use to that," Sister Aria said as reality warped around them and they popped out into the middle of a driving thunderstorm.

The peaks of the Red Mountains called out through the din and Sister Aria quickly led the trio to the familiar cave entrance. Regardless of her feelings about how the dead Archwizard's lair still affected Rozzick, it was a stunning visual. She couldn't help but smile when the spritely woman came bounding up.

"Greetings Lady Inkelton," Sister Aria was able to get out before her and Rozzick were swept up in the golem-crafter's wake.

To say that Lady Inkelton was single-minded would be an understatement. Soon, she found herself in a small, cramped room. Without word or preamble, she walked over to it and began to examine it. Not much was hidden from her discerning gaze and before too long, she nodded and glanced back toward the other two.

"There was definitely a box here. It sat here for some time. The box had markings upon it and they left an impression upon the stone. They were in Elvish," Sister Aria said as she slowly circled the stone pedestal. "I believe it said 'When the world ends, take me to make amends', though I could be mistaken."

Stopping her circling, she shrugged, "Sounds ominous."

Rozzick greeted Lady Inkelton with thanks for contacting them, then eagerly followed her to the room in question. What she had done with the lair was quite impressive, but the bad memories were intense, so he was not eager to linger long. When they got to the disintegrate-induced tunnel, both himself and Dainty took smaller forms to save space. Dainty crawled along the floor as herself, and Rozzick took the form of a meerkat and magically floated through the air to get a good look at what Aria was seeing.

"I knew I wouldn't be able to do this as easily without you, Aria. Great find! But what does it mean..." Rozzick pondered for a moment, but knew that additional information could be gleaned first. He cast Greater Detect Magic upon himself and began scanning the room. "Let's scan for auras before I make any conjectures. Dainty, help me identify and track any scents as well. Let's be as thorough as possible." Rozzick spent enough time in various forms that he could identify a lot of scents fairly accurately, but Dainty had a keen sense of smell in her natural form, so she had experience with smells that he could not possibly match.

As the Archmage looked and smelled around, flying as necessary, he asked Lady Inkelton, "Have you made any discoveries of your own? Is this the only clue you have found? Have you noticed anything else that has gone missing, or did you see anything notable when this happened?"

---

If possible, I will take 20 on a Perception check (51), using scent, true sight, and Greater Detect Magic. I am trying to determine what spells were used here, what material the box was made from, and what type of being came to take it. As well as any other noteworthy clues. If possible, I will follow the scent trail back to see where the burglar entered and/or exited, also scanning that area with Greater Detect Magic if possible. If not, then with regular Detect Magic.
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic...ells/d/detect-magic/

I will also cross-reference the scents from the box, any lingering auras from the box, and the inscription from the box with any knowledge Rozzick has about such an object. He will share what he knows with the group.

10:04, Today: Rozzick Cheshire rolled 49 using 1d20+36.  Knowledge: History - box inscription.
10:04, Today: Rozzick Cheshire rolled 55 using 1d20+36.  Knowledge: Religion - box inscription.
10:03, Today: Rozzick Cheshire rolled 54 using 1d20+36.  Knowledge: Planes - box inscription.
10:03, Today: Rozzick Cheshire rolled 48 using 1d20+47.  Knowledge: Arcana - box inscription.