Moonday, 4th day of Neth, 4711 AR
Wary after the fight with the mummy, the heroes cautiously opened the last of the crystalline semi-cylinders, but it proved to be empty. The room explored, the group continued down into the pyramid, led by Garmidius as he checked for hidden dangers.
The next ramp led to a twisting corridor that finally led to a room with a large golden double doors. The walls of the room were painted in the Azlanti style with a mural depicting various scenes. Kisarra examined them closely and noted that curiously they showed scenes of the heroes journey to the pyramid since leaving Absalom, though the emphasis and focus always seemed to be on a Azlanti element in the scene. The penultimate scene showed the adventurers examining the mural, while the final scene was incomplete with little more than a chaotic swirl.
Ziyana used her ability to cast an augury though the result foretold both good and bad fortune awaited the heroes. The doors were opened to reveal an unusual split level room: the lower level had a metal rail running along it that disappeared into a tunnel on the right, while the upper level had a pedestal with a gem set into the top and a word in a strange script beneath it. The walls of this room were also decorated with a mural, and this one depicted Aroden, last of the pureblood Azlanti who recovered the Starstone, was raised to godhood, and founded the city of Absalom.
Lady Helena revealed she had some Azlanti lineage and translated the word on the pedestal as 'summon' in the Azlanti tongue. The heroes elected to see what would happen, so Lady Helena touched the gem. There was no immediate effect, but a few minutes later a rumbling was heard, and a long three compartment carriage on a sloped wheelbase emerged from the tunnel and stopped before the adventurers. Evidently some kind of magical transport within the pyramid, the party boarded the carriage and activated it in a similar was to that used to summon it.
The carriage - a funicular - departed and went back the way it came. From within the illuminated interior the heroes could see the carriage passed small side tunnels and they stopped the carriage besides one to investigate further. The tunnel has alcoves and soon sloped downwards, so they tied a rope to Garmidius so he could investigate. He found a strange mechanical humanoid - likely some kind of ancient golem - huddled in each alcove, though they were lifeless and did not react to his presence or touch. Secured by the rope, Garmidius explored the ever further downwards sloping tunnel until it was blocked sand; evidently these side tunnels led to the outside of the pyramid but had been long buried by the desert as it had claimed the pyramid over the millennia.
Garmidius was pulled back up and the group resumed their journey on the funicular. Some minutes later it arrived in a chamber similar to the previous one. Yet another mural adorned the walls and this one depicted the construction of the pyramid itself by legions of golems like the ones huddled in the tunnels, as well as slaves and camels. Another set of large golden doors led from the room, and the sound of rushing water could clearly be heard coming from beyond.
The heroes opened the doors to reveal a chamber with a waterfall that cascaded down the opposite end. But no sooner had the doors opened than an ear piercing shrieking filled the air. The sound came from several large fungi inside the room, unsurprisingly known as shriekers. The heroes moved forwards to silence the bizarre fungi whose sounds were sufficiently loud that they could cause harm. Engaged with the shriekers, the party discovered that other deadly fungi lurked in the room as a pair of violet fungi attacked with their stinging tendrils that could dissolve flesh with a touch and drain strength and vitality. Miria and Lady Helena's eidolon Kordex slew the shriekers, while Lucciola and Kisarra landed the killing blows to the violet fungi. Miria in particular has suffered the sting of the violet fungi's tendrils and she was visibly weakened. With no curative magic capable of restoring her available to the party, Miria grimly had to face the fact that her effectiveness as the heroes continued would be sorely impacted.
A narrow path led to one side of the waterfall into a large space beyond, and as they passed along the path the adventurers discovered that the pyramid was for the main part hollow. The path emerged onto a balcony that afforded a wondrous view: the light gathered by the capstone gem illuminated the interior like a small sun, while four waterfalls - one from each wall - cascaded into the depths below, and the canopy of a huge tree spread out before the heroes. In the air, large cubes of some unknown material moved in intricate and inexplicable paths; some arcane part of the Destiny Prognostication Engine. Many of the cubes were caught within the branches of the great tree, held immobile in a green trap.
A short distance further along the balcony the path continued downwards, while nearby stood one of the golems, its form wrapped in plant life, and nearby was a stone building with the symbol of Aroden above the entrance. Upon investigation, the adventurers discovered it was a shrine to Aroden - a distinct curiosity in a pyramid that was 10,000 years old while Aroden had lived 5,000 years ago. The ancient Azlanti people had evidently used their powers to see the future and record some aspects of it in the very housing of their foretelling device. The shrine was a simple structure, with four pillars inside holding up the roof, and an altar at the far end upon which sat a jade statue of Aroden. On the wall behind the statue were carved four questions, written in Azlanti - along with a response to each:
Our first question asked: What is the most significant event for the future of our race?
We have glorified the answer in the upper entrance way to the funicular.
Our second question asked: What is the greatest achievement for any Azlanti?
We have glorified the answer in the upper coach house of the funicular.
Our third question asked: What is the greatest marvel the Azlanti race will create?
We have glorified the answer in the lower coach house of the funicular.
Our fourth question asked: What is the ultimate destiny of the Azlanti race?
We have glorified the answer in the lower entrance way to the funicular.
Based on the murals seen, to the first question the answer seemed to be the arrival of the heroes themselves, though why was not clear. To the second question the answer was Aroden himself, an Azlanti who became a god. To the third question the answer was the creation of the pyramid, the Destiny Prognostication Engine itself. To the fourth question the answer was lost: the fungi growing in the upper chamber had destroyed the mural that evidently had once graced its walls.
The group elected to take the jade statue, the first in their mission to recover such relics. With nothing else of interest, they took the path downwards into the depths of the pyramid. At one point they encountered one of the cube at rest right next to the path; Kisarra touched it, but if she experienced anything she would not say. Lady Helena also touched the cube but to no visible effect.
And so they continued on until the path emerged onto another balcony. This featured a small orchard of fruit trees that were being tended by one of the golems, the first the heroes had seen active. Amidst the trees a couple of statues and also six glass-like upright cylinders. A moment later there came the sound of a loud buzzing, and three giant wasps flew out of the depths of the great tree's foliage to attack the group. The fight on the pathway was somewhat precarious as there was nothing to prevent a slip down into the waiting branches of the tree, but in the end the giant wasps were slain with the killing blows being dealt by Lucciola and Dio.
With the danger averted, the heroes were able to investigate the cyclinders. The golem paid them no mind as it busied itself in its work. Beside each cylinder was a lever on a pedestal, and within each were small groups humans - men, women and children - of great beauty bound together by golden manacles. Some of them had what looked to be ioun stones though they were motionless; examination indicated that these cylinders also produced a temporal effect to preserve their contents.
Garmidius investigated the cylinders and pedestals and though he found no traps did locate a small compartment in each. Garmidius tried the lever but nothing happened, so he opened the compartment and found a glowing gemstone inside, which he touched and received an electrical jolt. Based on previous experience Lady Helena tried the gem and this time the cylinder wavered and disappeared; it seemed they were indeed designed to respond only to those of Azlanti heritage.
The slaves within, released from their statis, looked at the adventurers uncertainly. Lady Helena greeted them in Azlanti and they immediately dropped to their knees in obeisance. When questioned they revealed that their master was Ureste and that they had been kept as ideal specimens of their kind. They were also given to be companions in conversation for their master, hence the ioun stones that enhanced their knowledge. Lady Helena operated the remaining gems to open all the cylinders and release the people within. This done she informed them that they were now all free people, their master having long since died. The golden manacles were removed. In exchange for their freedom, the heroes requested a favour and persuaded the freed slaves to take the jade statue of Aroden and the two statues standing here amidst the grove and transport them back up to the top of the pyramid as this was the only sure way out. The slaves agreed and the adventurers promised to meet them as soon as they had finished their exploration of the pyramid.
Once more the heroes travelled onwards, along another path leading down. This eventually led to yet another balcony, this one marked as 'The Pilgrims' Rest' on a small plaque. Two more statutes stood on the balcony, though otherwise it was free of other structures or plant growth. Carefully positioned mirrors ensured the balcony was bathed in light from above. When they stepped onto the balcony, the heroes felt relaxed and grew weary, and settled down to rest. The light made them drowsy and they all fell asleep for a short while. Upon waking they found themselves feeling refreshed and invigorated; Miria was particularly pleased to find the debilitating effects of the violet fungi's tendrils were gone.
It was then that Lucciola warned he could detect the presence of fey though he could not pinpoint them. Moments later a pixie appeared in the branches of the tree and asked "Who are you?" Ziyana engaged the pixie in conversation, learning his name was Flixer and that he and his kind lived in the great tree. He revealed they knew only of the world within the pyramid and seemed confused when told of the world outside. Flixer also told of the Seer, a venerated member of the pixie community living here, who was able to see visions of the future. Unable to find out any information they deemed significant, the heroes took their leave of Flixer and continued their journey on the downwards path.
The path finally reached base of the great tree, and a huge expanse of surrounded the enormous trunk of the trees, a space filled with grasses and flowers and dotted with many pools of water. Rabbits, insects and other animals moved around the space that was nature's own. When they peered into the pools, the party could see that there were the ruins of a town beneath them, now completely submerged. They briefly debated sending a scout to investigate, but none of the adventurers wanted to swim down, and no one could send a scouting creature suited to the watery environment. And so the group decided to make camp and rest after their long journey from pinnacle of the pyramid to the base.
Toilday, 5th day of Neth, 4711 AR
Rested and refreshed, the adventurers further explored their surroundings. Garmidius noticed that some of the great tree's roots had grown around a structure from which magical emanations could be detected. Further investigation found a door that Lady Helena was able to operate like the other artefacts discovered in the pyramid that were keyed to respond to those of Azlanti descent. The door swung ponderously open, pushing aside and ripping apart some of the tree roots to do so. Beyond was a room in pristine condition, free of invasion from the plants outside. Several panels of gem controls lined the walls - some glowing, others not - above which were wide glass plates. A large blue button resided in the centre of the gem panels.
The meaning or purpose of the controls was unclear; there were no writings to provide any clues or directions, and none of the heroes could determine their intent. However, the presence of the large blue button proved irresistible to Garmidius and he stepped forward and pressed it. Immediately a strange column rose from the floor and the glass panels lit up to show the Qadiran forces still outside the pyramid, which had grown significantly in number since their initial attack the previous dawn. Suddenly a great blast of energy swept across them laying waste, and the desert sands erupted as hordes of the golems burst forth to finish the job begun by the energy blast.
Great tremors racked the pyramid: evidently terrible forces had been unleashed, and the heroes feared the pyramid was in the death throes of self destruction. The column that had risen from the floor slowly started to descend. Its purpose was not certain, but many of the adventurers thought that the pyramid should indeed be destroyed, just not with them inside! So Garmidius used his immovable rod so that it would stop the pillar from fully descending back into the floor, the premise being that if that were to happen the pyramid would be destroyed.
Uncertain of the time available, the heroes made haste to travel back up to the pyramid's apex and the way out. To speed their progress they used the wand of levitation found in the room far above. They recovered the final two statues from the lowest balcony and used the wand to ascend, pushing themselves back and forth to move around the great tree's branches. On the way up they encountered the pixies and warned them of the coming disaster. The pixies lent their strength to the heroes and by many of them grabbing each of the adventurers were able to speed the party's progress with their own ability at flight.
The heroes reached the funicular and found the freed slaves awaiting; heroes, ex-slaves, and pixies, as well as the recovered statues, boarded the magical carriage, and ascended the final leg to the meet with Alvaro the guide and the camels. They opened the door in the apex room and hurried out into the heat of the desert.
The ground shook with increasing ferocity as the group hurriedly loaded the camels and formed up the caravan to leave. They set off and with precious little time to spare, for they were only minutes from the pyramid when the sands convulsed violently and the pyramid started to rise out of the desert! As it rose, great blocks of stones started to rain down; the pyramid was collapsing and breaking apart! The heroes spurred the camels on to escape the area as crushing chunks of stone crashed onto the sands.
Then came a wondrous sight: although the pyramid fell apart, the great tree rose from the ruin, riding atop the city they had witnessed in the pool at its roots. The tree-city tore itself free of the earth in a final shower of stony ruin and ascended majestically into the sky. The pixies abandoned the heroes and raced to return back to their tree now that it seemed it would not be destroyed after all.
And, even as the adventurers watched the pixies rejoin their tree, they saw a sandy whirlwind rise up from the desert and fly to the tree; Lucciola commented he was sure this was the unseen druid who had helped them on their trip to the pyramid and that he would surely become its steward and guardian.
Few words could describe the heroes' astonishment at how their quest had ended; none of them have ever envisaged released a flying tree-city into the world! As the marvel receded into the blue sky, they turned their camels for home and began the long trek back to Absalom.
Wealday, 6th day of Neth, 4711 AR - Oathday, 13th day of Neth, 4711 AR
The journey back across the Meraz Desert to the coast was uneventful, giving the heroes plenty of time to mull over the bizarre events of recent days. Guided by Alvaro they reached the sea to meet with The Djinni Wind and her captain Ramoud. He commanded the ship make best speed back to Absalom, magically aided by Walker of the Timeless Winds, and spent many hours listening to the fantastical tale of the adventurers' exploits since they had landed in Qadira.
Fireday, 14th day of Neth, 4711 AR
It was not long after dawn that The Djinni Wind and her passengers arrived back in Absalom. The heroes disembarked along with the freed slaves, camels and the recovered Azlanti artefacts, and made the final leg of their journey to Fantasimo's home.
The heroes regaled Fantasimo and Sheikh Ava Nanaba with the full story of their trip, the sheikh asking a great many questions as they did so. He was delighted with the statues, paying handsomely for them, and filled with excitement at the opportunity to speak with the freed slaves in depth; people from the time of the Azlanti.
Their greatest and longest task completed, the heroes were finally able to fully rest and recover from their adventure and consider how they would spend the great sum of money they had earned.
