Beckoncall
World-Weaver and servant to the most-holy PC
THE CISTERN OF SKULLS –
This chamber is a relatively large single cavern, cold mountain water is pouring in from three different sides through holes in the ceiling, mingling with an E/W river all flowing to a pool in the center of the this cave. The wet walls and floor are carpeted with algae, and strange plants grow in the bright light of irredescent minerals. The Cistern, A natural bowl-shaped pool approx. 30 feet deep, is lined all along it’s contours with the skulls and bones of creatures that have died, fallen in the river, and come to rest here. The center of the pool appears to be bubbling though the exact cause of this is not apparent… the water is very cold. Halfway down in the Cisterns’ basin, the Cathexus, now opening, pulses menacingly – it’s red glow barely perceptible in the turbulent water.
The Cistern is almost completely filled with bones (mostly skulls) of various creatures – mostly orcs, but humans and elves are well represented, as are a myriad of other creatures. From the three extremely cold waterfalls in the cistern chamber, the ceiling seems to sag around the holes where the water falls from above. The walls of the chamber are veiled in mist, A fast running river (fed in part by the waterfalls) comes into the Cistern Chamber from the West and somewhat slower from the East, both feeding into the Cistern and giving the Cathexus’ Pool a kind of whirlpool effect at it’s rim – though the pool never seems to fill. To the North the natural stone of the cave begins to show signs of brick and cobblestone, quickly progressing into a smooth, worked stone hallway. To the South, a wider cave mouth arches low to the ground, it’s way partly obscured by ancient cobwebs. Though everyone has darkvision, lighting is good, provided by dull blue-glowing natural mineral veins running through the stone in the area – which is vaguely luminescent, but highly reflective – the light would normally be dim, but the combination of the irredescent minerals and the reflective surface of the pool throws playing light everywhere, with true darkness only found below the water and closer to the ceiling of the chamber.
Ways to go:
West along the river (difficult terrain, the river is almost the entire tunnel wide, very fast, and low in places) You can’t be sure – but it looks like there might be tracks this way, of the same type, heading both into and back out of this chamber.
East along to slower river – one shoulder is wide enough for easy travel into the darker tunnel beyond, the water is constantly buffeting a drape of extremely thick web above it like a blanket on a clothes-line, mist and river droplets cover this sheet of webbing, making the light play like stars on what interestingly enough be described as a dark tapestry… (anyone homesick?)
North: Along the way where the Cave of the cistern slowly converts into a proper hallway.
South – the dusty, cracked, natural arch into the cave beyond. Many tiny scraps of web hang from little nooks in this tunnel, the floor down this way, once beyond the thrown moisture of the cave, is very dusty and scattered with debris.
Smell: The Cistern smells profoundly clean under the waterfalls and at the pool, with taints of corruption all along the walls. You are unsure if the corruption comes from the Cathexis, negative energy signature from what is obviously a mass grave of things that died in the river, or something more conventional.
Touch: Clammy, Cold, Wet.
Hear: Crash of water, under the water a vague pulling sound, The dull thrum of the Cathexis, likely heard only by you and your compatriots.
The Cathexis is here! – The Cathexus, now fist sized, is moored to the side of the cistern, seemingly by a black crystal exuding faint negative energy. This crystal has been growing since the Cathexus started to open, though it is not perceptibly growing now. While it is unlikely you can return to the Cathexis after leaving, it is an artifact of tremendous power – and may have uses, if you could discern what they were.
Current Plot Seeds: The Cathexus should have opened 100 years ago! Also, you’re not sure, but the makeup of your party seems to have changed somewhat… it’s hard to remember such things – being borne into a new world as a sliver of your own nature takes a lot out a being.
Feel free to take actions as you would, declare checks (ESPECIALLY PERCEPTION), state objectives, etc. I am starting small and hyper-descriptive but will adapt as we cultivate a collective style. This first area is an invitation to find your sea-legs and begin to explore what you can do. Time is moving slowly now, but passing -- acting or not... so you could explore here, leave the area, or even wait to see if something shows up. Good luck and welcome to Nightmare Golarion!
-Beck
This chamber is a relatively large single cavern, cold mountain water is pouring in from three different sides through holes in the ceiling, mingling with an E/W river all flowing to a pool in the center of the this cave. The wet walls and floor are carpeted with algae, and strange plants grow in the bright light of irredescent minerals. The Cistern, A natural bowl-shaped pool approx. 30 feet deep, is lined all along it’s contours with the skulls and bones of creatures that have died, fallen in the river, and come to rest here. The center of the pool appears to be bubbling though the exact cause of this is not apparent… the water is very cold. Halfway down in the Cisterns’ basin, the Cathexus, now opening, pulses menacingly – it’s red glow barely perceptible in the turbulent water.
The Cistern is almost completely filled with bones (mostly skulls) of various creatures – mostly orcs, but humans and elves are well represented, as are a myriad of other creatures. From the three extremely cold waterfalls in the cistern chamber, the ceiling seems to sag around the holes where the water falls from above. The walls of the chamber are veiled in mist, A fast running river (fed in part by the waterfalls) comes into the Cistern Chamber from the West and somewhat slower from the East, both feeding into the Cistern and giving the Cathexus’ Pool a kind of whirlpool effect at it’s rim – though the pool never seems to fill. To the North the natural stone of the cave begins to show signs of brick and cobblestone, quickly progressing into a smooth, worked stone hallway. To the South, a wider cave mouth arches low to the ground, it’s way partly obscured by ancient cobwebs. Though everyone has darkvision, lighting is good, provided by dull blue-glowing natural mineral veins running through the stone in the area – which is vaguely luminescent, but highly reflective – the light would normally be dim, but the combination of the irredescent minerals and the reflective surface of the pool throws playing light everywhere, with true darkness only found below the water and closer to the ceiling of the chamber.
Ways to go:
West along the river (difficult terrain, the river is almost the entire tunnel wide, very fast, and low in places) You can’t be sure – but it looks like there might be tracks this way, of the same type, heading both into and back out of this chamber.
East along to slower river – one shoulder is wide enough for easy travel into the darker tunnel beyond, the water is constantly buffeting a drape of extremely thick web above it like a blanket on a clothes-line, mist and river droplets cover this sheet of webbing, making the light play like stars on what interestingly enough be described as a dark tapestry… (anyone homesick?)
North: Along the way where the Cave of the cistern slowly converts into a proper hallway.
South – the dusty, cracked, natural arch into the cave beyond. Many tiny scraps of web hang from little nooks in this tunnel, the floor down this way, once beyond the thrown moisture of the cave, is very dusty and scattered with debris.
Smell: The Cistern smells profoundly clean under the waterfalls and at the pool, with taints of corruption all along the walls. You are unsure if the corruption comes from the Cathexis, negative energy signature from what is obviously a mass grave of things that died in the river, or something more conventional.
Touch: Clammy, Cold, Wet.
Hear: Crash of water, under the water a vague pulling sound, The dull thrum of the Cathexis, likely heard only by you and your compatriots.
The Cathexis is here! – The Cathexus, now fist sized, is moored to the side of the cistern, seemingly by a black crystal exuding faint negative energy. This crystal has been growing since the Cathexus started to open, though it is not perceptibly growing now. While it is unlikely you can return to the Cathexis after leaving, it is an artifact of tremendous power – and may have uses, if you could discern what they were.
Current Plot Seeds: The Cathexus should have opened 100 years ago! Also, you’re not sure, but the makeup of your party seems to have changed somewhat… it’s hard to remember such things – being borne into a new world as a sliver of your own nature takes a lot out a being.
Feel free to take actions as you would, declare checks (ESPECIALLY PERCEPTION), state objectives, etc. I am starting small and hyper-descriptive but will adapt as we cultivate a collective style. This first area is an invitation to find your sea-legs and begin to explore what you can do. Time is moving slowly now, but passing -- acting or not... so you could explore here, leave the area, or even wait to see if something shows up. Good luck and welcome to Nightmare Golarion!
-Beck
))
