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Queck looks funnily at Zarkuzet, clears her throat loudly, and repeats herself. "As far as I know, they built the Imperial Hall of Records, the Admiralty Citadel, and the Harbor Watch; laid the stone that makes up the square around Pharasma’s Pulpit; built retaining walls to shore up some of the ruins at Quickfall Abbey, and the swift prison.”
Some of the engineers easily produce a map, however, with the possible combinations, Edmund fails to make sense of any patterns.
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”Queck, are there monuments or statues in front of each of these buildings or only some? I think we need to visit each building that has a monument or statue in front, then look for an “I” and confirm if only 3 monuments have the “I”. Then we can triangulate. Additionally I would start with the Hall of Records and Quickfell Abbey, since those were the hints the madman in prison gave us. It may even be that we need to triangulate between Swift Prison, the Hall of Records and Quickfell Abbey.”
Kazmoro seems to be exhausted after that intervention, as he usually does not speak much.
On the map, triangulating between those three buildings, where does it point to?
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Nadric nods along with Kazmoro's reasoning. "This makes sense. Those are buildings that the mad cultist made paintings of, and at the center stands the Admiralty Citadel, which was also constructed by the Ismacco family.
"But the legend also said something about monuments providing a combination needed to unlock the entrance," he reminds the group. "Granted, it's just a legend, but maybe we should first take another look at the statue outside the prison to see if we can learn anything from it."
He looks up at Kazmoro and adds, "Or else we could head straight to the Citadel to see if your hunch about the entrance's location is correct."
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"The Citadel seems the only logical point if it is in the center of the buildings that this madman you met painted and this family built it as well. They must have had something to do with the construction of the place to hide tunnels in it. I also vote we go there. Perhaps we already have the clues we need to solve the riddle and don't know it," Razka chimes in, seemingly without the least discomfort in following the guidance of a lunatic he didn't meet.
He'll bow low to Queck in his most extravagant manners. "Until we meet again, oh lovely wise one," he says to her before leaving with apparently every confidence the others will follow or catch up or take the lead.
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After much debate and discussion, the overwhelming consensus seems to be to visit the Admiralty's citadel. Queck wishes the group a farewell and good luck, but also thanks you for your services, and attempts to aid you the best way she can. She provides you with four potions of cure light wounds and a wand of detect secret doors (5 charges) in hopes it will aid you for the cause.
After asking around for directions, and following the map, you easily come to the place known as Admiralty's Citadel. A grand looking, and old monument, that is currently used to house some Taldorian soldiers.
You spend hours scouring the place for any signs of clues, searching high and low for the mysterious entrance, and even a possible sign like the markings of the family, the I, or activity of cultist but the search seems somewhat futile. Out of frustration, you even decide to use one of the wand's charges that Queck provided. But are unable to find anything secretive or worthwhile in the hunt for the engineers in this place.
After much more deliberation, you come to a likely conclusion that you've missed a vital clue, and perhaps Nadric's nagging reminder throughout the search holds true. "But the legend also said something about monuments providing a combination needed to unlock the entrance." And having a strong affirmation that the statue indeed was something that was build by the Ismacco family with the strange I marking, you decide it be best to return and search the statue very thoroughly.
The return journey is uneventful, save for some hot and heavy debates among the group about the mystery at hand. The statue remains looking the same as you've left it.
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“A locked compartment you say? Let’s have a look.”
Nadric peers at the place under the statue’s foot where Kazmoro is looking, and sees the compartment as well. He hums in thought. “This doesn’t look like any locks that I’m used to working with, but I might as well try to get it open. What have we got to lose, right?”
Nadric struggles with it for a minute, but can’t make heads or tails out of a lock with no keyhole. He looks up at the group. “Any other ideas?”
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How does the secret compartment open? Since there is no keyhole, is there some other mechanism to open, like an impression against which a certain specific object needs to be pressed, or a light needs to shine on, etc?
Kazmoro remembers that the paintings all had a figure with a holy symbol. Would the symbol fit into somewhere along the secret compartment?
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Magic emanates from the locked door itself, one that is likely of made of the school of abjuration. There is no means or slots to fit a holy symbol along the compartment. And clearly the painting's holy symbol might not be as obvious as you recall. Was it Groetus that was being represented in the painting?
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"Here are the paintings. We brought them with us. You can see that all three paintings have this lone figure fighting off the invading forces.” He points to the figure in the paintings:
It shows a very twisted perspective of what Kazmoro described. The once-beautiful statue stares back transformed, her visage twisted into a demonic snarl. Short humanoids with large, black eyes torment cowering prisoners in the painting’s background. Brandishing a radiant holy symbol, a lone figure fails to fight them off.
The second painting depicts a stately, white stone building. Three-foot-tall bas-reliefs circle the building’s outside walls at ground level, though they are warped and twisted in the crazed painter’s art. Derros stand atop the hall’s steps and seem to punish criminals—all of whom are wearing the robes of Taldan government officials. At the southwest corner of the building, the bas-relief glows a bright white. The same lone figure from the other paintings attempts to sooth a group of frightened children by playing a flute— the notes are actually painted above him on the canvas.
The third painting depicts the northeast retaining wall upon the sea. It shows dozens of angry derros smashing brightly-painted urns against the retaining wall, while the same lone figure from the other paintings frantically attempts to push down an obviously barred door in the middle of the wall, presumably to escape another group of menacing derros that seems to pursue him.
"I believe that figure means something... I just do not know what." He snorts in frustration.
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Edmund looks over the pictures for a second time, hoping that something new will stand out to him. What else in these paintings could trigger a magic door he asks hims. And then a thought comes to him
Its kind of crazy, but it might just work...
"Nadric! So you play the flute? Play the notes on the second picture, the ones right here"
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After a while, you realise that the door itself is protected with magic, and attempting to force it open, will likely result in failure and an embarrassing destruction of property.
Zarzuket recognizes this magic to be an Arcane Lock, besides the trick to opening the door, it can be opened by means of Dispel Magic and Knock.
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Edmund rolls his eyes at Celas. "Great idea Celas! Why don't you give it a try?"
Assuming Celas doesn't replicate the posture, Edmund looks at the picture- walks out in front of the statue and attempts to recreate the posing, recognizing that he likely can't produce the radiant light from the holy symbol.
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After much confusion, and some trials, Nadric bestows some "positive" energy through channelling a cure light wound upon the lock. Inside, a piece of parchment awaits with a curious looking symbol drawn on it.
Regardless of what you make of the symbol, you also decide that it's best to start moving to the other locations determined on the paintings to search for more clues.
Furthering the journey for answers, you find yourself next at the Imperial Hall of Records, attempting to match the specific location depicted on the painting.
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Razka is strangely silent throughout the investigation of the statue. He seems distracted and wanders away to talk to one of the prisoners who is begging.
"What are the chances of meeting an old friend on a mission, right guys? I never thought I'd see him, again. Can't say I'm surprised at where he ended up, though."
He'll actually applaud Celas' performance. It's obviously meant to be sarcastic but just as obvious that the ranger's song truly touched him.
His brow will furrow for a moment and he'll pull a wand out of one of his pockets. Given what he's proven he can do, it might be expected that he's going to throw around some destruction.
Instead, he hands it to Celas. "I'd appreciate if you could use this on me if I need it. Or yourself, I suppose. It's useless to me without someone who knows how to use it. It was a welcome gift from the Society."
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Nadric puzzles over the scrap of parchment they pulled from the statue, while they walk over to the Hall of Records. "What is this, a map? A glyph? Some bizarre alphabet? I hope it becomes clear when we find the others."
He applauds along with Razka at the beautiful melody that Celas sings, although in his case the appreciation is completely un-ironic. He claps the ranger on the shoulder. "From one musician to another, that was quite well done, sir! I had no idea you were keeping such a talent hidden."
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Kazmoro makes an astonishing discovery to connect the clues to landmarks (built by the Ismacco family nonetheless) found on the map.
Celas sings the notes perfectly to the tune as describe on the painting, and soon after the compartment unlocks itself revealing another piece of parchment.
Following suite, you make way to the northeastern retaining wall that shores up some of the ruined towers of the ancient Quickfall Abbey as depicted in the final painting. The actual sight is a little different from what you imagine, the doorway in the painting is not a doorway, but part of the uninterrupted smooth wall.