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Lady Darchana smiles at Lady Vanessa. "It seems you've found a kindred spirit in this one, Zarta." She takes in the dhampir's appearance. "I advise caution, Lady Vanessa Reisende. The appetites of the Paracountess are legendary and not so easily satisfied. And never for long."
The Second Spell Lord of Absalom turns her sharp gaze on the half-elf. "Ah, a magus. You've the shadow of Nidal about you, Seltyiel. Welcome to the warm daylight that follows the cold night. Stop by the Arcanamirium sometime. We can do little to hone your skills with a blade, but perhaps we can further your knowledge of the arcane arts."
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Grint Basatrel stands as Zarta leads you over to the table. He kisses the Paracountess on both pale cheeks and offers each of you a warm greeting, and then retakes his seat.
Zarta Dralneen does not have to wait long before a waiter approaches. Zarta passes the young woman a handful of coins, not bothering to count them. The waiter scoops them up and leaves.
Zarta reaches into her small, stylish clutch and retrieves bottle after bottle, far more than ought to fit in her small handbag. She places on the table absinthe from Kyonin, brandy from Ustalav, icewine from Irissen, and several bottle of Dwarven Stout from the Five Kings Mountains.
At your confused looks, Zarta raises an elegant thin eyebrow. "They don't mind if you bring your own, as long as you pay a generous corking fee."
She smiles at Grint Basatrel, "Pathfinders, let me be the first to introduce you to the man who will be Diobel's next councilor."
The gentleman returns her smile, with just the right combination of humility and self-confidence. "Paracountess, your support just might ensure that outcome. We'll know soon enough, no?"
At Lady Vanessa's question, Grint Basatrel responds, "I seem to recall a pale-skinned beauty vying for the councilor's attention at that reception last year. I'm certain Councilor Grayrain would have been up to the challenge a decade earlier, but I'm afraid the old gentleman was in no shape to meet such a physical challenge. I seem to recall the Paracountess offering him a vial of something she said might help restore his vigor. The councilor declined, too concerned about unpredictable and unpleasant side effects."
He turns to the rest of you. "Have any of you ever had business in Diobel?"
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Despite the questionable surroundings and company, Corona seems to be enjoying herself. She listens to some of the conversation with interest and eagerly points, "Ooh, I'll try the icewine please!" when Zarta reveals that even Paracountesses occasionally subscribe to the BYOB way of thinking.
"Oh, I'm Corona Merrion," she adds at one point, offering her hand for a shake. "When I'm not doing work for the Society, I'm a baker! But lately it seems like I do a lot of work for the Society," she shrugs. "Oh and I can use magic too! Except no one really taught me, I just sometimes wake up with new spells in my head. But apparently that happens to all sorts of people so I've never been too worried about it!"
As the conversation turns specifically to Diobel, Corona bounces in her seat and raises her hand. "Ooh ooh! I did once! Me and some other Pathfinders went and helped a nice lady trash the friendship between the Kortos and Aspis Consortiums. The Kortos people seemed okay but those Aspis have always been jerks so I didn't mind causing some trouble for them," she beams.
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"Hand me a mug of that Dwarven stout, and thank you for saving me from the grog." She smiles as she takes her seat. "I haven't had a good drinking party in a while."
"I started out as a ranger, but my sorcerer powers arrived soon after. As Corona said they just seem to appear in my head one day. It's interesting to say the least." She makes conversation with Lady Darchana about her magic.
"Diobel? I don't believe I've ever been there. It is a nice place?"
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Zarta is pleased to let you help yourselves to her fine, portable minibar.
Lady Darchana is not at all offended to learn that Corona and Einn are spontaneous casters, and she enjoys chatting with Seltyiel and the two ladies about the sorts of magic they've encountered and employed during the course of their adventures.
Grint Basatrel gives Corona a respectful bow. "I remember that incident well. We owe your team and the Pathfinder Society a great debt for uncovering the illicit drug trafficking ring organized by certain, rogue elements of the Kortos Consortium and the Aspis Consortium. Had you not succeeded, Diobel would have lost more than its reputation. Councilor Grayrain was deeply grateful for your assistance. As am I."
Zarta Dralneen sees through Zadim's deception. "Oh, come now Zadim, my exotic slayer. Have a glass of brandy. At worst, it will wash away the aftertaste of the grog. At best, it might loosen your tongue. This lady, at least, appreciates a loose tongue. Isn't that right, Grint?"
The gentleman from Diobel blushes a deep purple.
The rest of the evening is spent in revelry the likes of which only the Paracountess can muster. You return to your temporary lodgings at Skyreach in the wee hours of the morning and collapse in your beds.
The next morning, you wake up rested and more than a little hungover. You remember few details, but it must have been fun.
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About the time Lady Vanessa has finally dragged her almost-undead corpse out of bed, performed her morning ablutions, dressed, and put on her day face, there's a knock on her door.
An initiate delivers a terse message, "'Venture-Captain Zarta Dralneen kindly invites the Lady Vanessa Reisende to join her for brunch at the Wall of Names. Please bring your friends.' That's all she said." The initiate turns on her heel and departs. It appears Lady Vanessa's affirmative response was taken for granted.
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You find the head of the Dark Archive faction seated alone at a large table adorned with quail eggs, delicate pastries, a cornucopia of fresh fruit, and carafes of Qadiran coffee.
The Paracountess looks entirely refreshed, showing no trace of last night's bacchanal. "Good morning, Pathfinders. How pleasant of you to join me, breaking our fast away from prying eyes and ears."
As you enjoy the morning's modest feast, Zarta Dralneen gets to the point. "I hope it’s not too untoward if I spare you the sweet nothings that the political elite are relentlessly exhaling. As you may know, the Society and I have maintained a somewhat distant relationship based on… mutual respect. On occasion, we offer each other support, but it’s always an exchange of favors. Recently, I have offered to assist the Society in a more permanent capacity. Needless to say, the leaders were both intrigued and skeptical. Their responses speak to their wisdom."
After another sip of coffee, she continues, “I trust you are familiar with the Vaults, yes? There must be dozens of them scattered throughout the Grand Lodge. Being constant collectors, the Society occasionally recovers an artifact that possesses powers that they believe too dangerous or destructive for mortals. For such items, they have designed a special section within the Vaults that they inspect only infrequently. But as I have informed them, some evils only become more dangerous if left to decay in the dark. As this collection of forgotten treasures grows, it poses an ever-increasing risk that requires increased… supervision."
She nibbles a Taldan éclair and swallows delicately. “It appears the Decemvirate has come to understand these truths as I do, and I have a standing offer to catalogue and maintain these dangerous relics so long as I and several of my agents can complete several tests to the Ten’s satisfaction. I am about to check in on one of my assignments, and I would appreciate your handling this other task."
She folds her napkin. “It seems that something has gotten loose in one of the vaults, specifically the vault containing artifacts recovered from the castle of the lovely Erya Bastorieth. The Society sealed off the vault to prevent whatever it is from escaping, but that’s hardly a permanent solution. I have permission to send a small team to rectify the situation and determine what went wrong. I trust you’re up for the challenge.”
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Having arrived at the Wall of Names appearing to have an entourage in tow, Lady Vanessa sweeps in and takes a seat next to Zarta, giving her a quick air-kiss in greeting.
"Mmmm, Qadiran coffee. Zhank you, Zarta, dear, I needed zhis."
She inhales the fragrance of the coffee deeply, taken black as night, befittingly. Then exhales slowly with a satisfied hum, takes a sip, and listens to her Venture Captain's briefing while sampling the rest of the repast.
"Zarta, dear, you said 'somezhing' has gotten loose. Vhat kind of somezhing exactly?"
"And, zho I feel like I should remember her, I don't recall Erya Bastorieth. Who vas she again?"
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Paracountess Zarta Dralneen displays her trademark ghost of a smile. "Erya Bastorieth was an intimate friend to me." It's clear Zarta won't kiss and tell.
Once you've agreed to handle the task, Zarta thanks you. She extends one long, slender index finger and calls to an aging dwarf whose bleary eyes attest either to his sleep deprivation, inability to forget terrible memories, or both.
The Venture Captain introduces him. "This is Hasjald, an employee of the Grand Lodge who works as a groundskeeper and part-time custodian of the Vaults.
"Yes, Mum? How may I serve you?" drones the dwarf, in a mumbled monotone.
"Hasjid, be a good dwarf, and guide these agents to the sealed vault. The usual standard operating protocols, of course."
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As Hasjid leads you into the wooded area near the Wall of Names, he intones without emotion, "There are multiple Vaults that riddle the Grand Lodge, but until a Pathfinder has permanent clearance to enter them, a Pathfinder must be blindfolded until a Pathfinder gets to the rooms in question."
He halts the procession and draws a handful of black silk hoods from his satchel. He places them over your heads, and you resume your movement. Hasjald faithfully leads you below ground through a hidden entrance, past several locked doorways, and down several
winding tunnels.
"We have arrived." He removes your blindfolds, and you find yourselves in a dank, dimly lit stone hallway without any visible windows. The door to the east bears a plaque reading “The Vault of Erya Bastorieth.”
"The Venture-Captain's instructions are for me to open the door for you, seal it behind you, and await a signal knock before opening the door again."
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The door opens to a small, unlit foyer surrounding a plain stone stairwell. Hasjald closes the door behind you. A muffled voice penetrates the door from the other side. *Knock twice. Pause. Knock thrice. Pause. Knock once. That's the signal.*
The stairs descend into a room lined in dark lacquered wood panels. A number of macabre items stand carefully positioned about the room, including a guillotine, a gold-lined iron tub with claws shaped to resemble lion’s paws, and gruesome abstract paintings depicting tortured figures donning strange, birdlike masks and engaging in acts of ritual scarification. Another wall displays a number of exquisite white lace dresses drenched with sanguine stains set upon mannequins fashioned from human skeletons. Lastly, two crystalline display cases sit upon wooden pedestals, one holding a wickedly sharp athamé with a flame-shaped blade, the other containing a simple circlet of braided silver and bronze.
A dozen mirror-like fragments of glass are scattered across the floor, and a young woman’s body lies in a congealed pool of blood at the center of the room. A pair of shadow-shrouded alcoves flanks the stairs.
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Perhaps still jittery from the early-morning coffee, Corona's eyes grow to the size of sauces as she takes in the sight of the various macabre and unsettling items stored in the vault. "Oh wow! Look at all these things! Hey New Friend Vanessa, hey New Friend, I think those dresses would look fabulous on you," she exclaims as she zips over to inspect one of the dresses more closely. "And I bet a little magic would clean those bloodstains right out, yessir."
"Ooh ooh, a bathtub! What's a bathtub doing in here? I wonder if ninjas used to hide in it?" she continues, darting over to the bathtub for a moment. As she turns to look at something else, she finally registers the body in the center of the room and stops in her tracks.
"Oh! It's a person! How did they get down here? Mister Hasjald didn't say anything about bringing someone else down here earlier," she gasps as she begins to approach the still form. "Hello? Are you okay?"
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Night Hunter enjoyed the liquor at the meeting at the Grog Pit... he even enjoyed his one mug of the grog... What's not to enjoy.. it's alcoholic! But the private minibar impressed him greatly with not only its variety but its quality as well...
The next day, he showed no signs of hangover, and allowed the dwarf to put on the blindfold with a bit of reluctance... "I generally like to see where I'm going... do warn us of any stumbling blocks, yes?" He was quite relieved when the blindfolds came off...
He enjoyed the morning feast, especially the coffee, which he liberally spiked from a small flask. "Now that's coffee with a punch!"
Once in the chamber, he looked around with curiosity. "All this is very interesting, but where is this 'thing that got loose' that we're seeking?"
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Corona takes a closer look at the body of the young woman in the center of the room, shards of razor sharp glass strewn across the floor.
Night Hunter peers around the room, trying to lay an amphibian eyeball on the 'thing that got loose.' All he sees in the large chamber are the odd collection of objects, the body Corona is examining, and the broken glass scattered near the body.
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Hasjald removes the blindfold from Lady Vanessa, and she looks around at the foyer and the as-yet unopened door to “The Vault of Erya Bastorieth.” Knowing that there's "something loose in there," she takes a moment to dig out her buckler and a metamagic rod before entering.
"Daahling boys, a little Guidance for each of you again before ve go in."
As Corona traverses the room, Lady Vanessa stays where she is and casts Detect Magic. She sweeps the cone across the semi-circular area, but starts with the crystalline cases and their contents.
"Coroona, dearie, in case you haven't noticed, vhite isn't exactly my color."
Humph, zhese designs vhent out of fashion before she vas even born.
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Einn allows the dwarf to blindfold her after eating breakfast and drinking lots of coffee. "Thank you for the breakfast. We'll do our best to find out what's loose down there.
She taps herself with her wand of Mage Armor before she goes through the door.
"This is an interesting room. Someone is clearly into torture. I'm guessing that something that is looks isn't friendly." Einn doesn't move into the room, but looks around.
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Zadim takes in the room with a slight gasp. Under his breath he mutters. "Forgive me, goddess, for doubting you. This is why you sent me here." He takes a few steps closer to the body.
His characteristic frown deepens. "Frozen. We are dealing with a magical beast or aberration it would seem." He draws both kukri's, ready for the inevitable ambush.
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Before the party enters the vault, Lady Vanessa casts guidance on Zadim, Night Hunter, and Seltyiel.
Einn and Zadim look around, but they find no trace of the mysterious thing reportedly loose within the vault. They note, however, that the area beyond the two alcoves is unnaturally dark. Their light does not penetrate the blackness.
Zadim joins Corona near the slain Pathfinder. According to the engraving on the back of the woman's wayfinder, her name was Rasina. Zadim determines her wounds are particularly clean, almost as though her body were frozen before being sliced apart by large claws.
Lady Vanessa descends the long staircase and casts detect magic. Each shard of glass on the floor retains a faint magic aura.
Several of the shards are of sufficient size and shape to be wielded as an improvised dagger.
The mirror fragments might still hold power over the outsider, for no matter the lighting conditions, when you hold a shard pointed toward the alcove to the northwest, you see an otherworldly reflection appear in the mirror’s pieces, an indistinct creature with an disturbing pair of eyes in the darkness. It's watching you... Then, just as sudden, it's gone.
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As her spell highlights the aura of the shards of glass on the floor, Lady Vanessa gasps.
"Zhis is a Shadow Plane mirror! Zhe creature zhat ve seek is trapped between realms, neizher free to return to zhe Shadow Plane, nor able to leave zhis room."
Stepping over to the shards, she picks one up to examine it more closely, and sees the creature watching her from within the shard.
"As I suspected, it is able to hide within zhese shards and zhe unnatural darkness in zhat part of zhe room is its doing somehow," she says gesturing toward the northwest corner.
Lady Vanessa then begins speaking in a tongue none of you (are likely to) recognize. It it soft and sibilant, and sometimes sounds as if the words are being spoken backwards.
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Sinister whispers, silent screams, and shadowy shrieks assault your senses from the dark recesses of the alcoves. You press your palms to your hears to shut out the horrible sound. Only then do you realize, it's in your freakin' mind!
A ball of flickering flames hurtles out of the darkness of the northwest alcove, smashing into Zadim with icy fire.
'The Thing Loose in the Vault'
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Einn Sparkbearer
Zadim
Night Hunter
Lady Vanessa Reisende
Seltyiel
Corona Merrion
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"Einn, Coroona, dears, I don't know much about creatures ov ozher planes, except zhat zhis thing is definitely from zhe Shadow Plane. Come, look into a shard, and see if you can recognize it."
It saw me thru zhe shard, and I saw it. I vonder if I can tell vhere it is thru the shard?
Lady Vanessa then holds the shard up and peers deeply into it, trying to see the creature again, while moving toward the alcove.
Arriving at the alcove she casts Burning Hands into the alcove, adding a pinch of saltpeter from her components pouch.
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Night Hunter stands at the bottom of the staircase, shards of glass crunching under his webbed feet, and calls out helpful tips for fighting things shrouded in darkness.
Lady Vanessa uses a shard of the broken mirror to locate the creature. Although the alcove is cloaked in the deepest darkness, somehow the shard is able to capture the creature's reflection. She tells her companions to use the shards the same way.
Lady Vanessa adds a dash of saltpeter to her spell, and a cone of searing flame shoots from her fingertips, disappearing as it enters the alcove.
Crossing over more shards of the broken mirror, Einn and Zadim follow Lady Vanessa closer to the alcove's entrance; they see nothing but darkness. Einn blind-aims her own burning hands spell into the darkness, hoping she might hit something. Watching the creature in the mirror's shard, Lady Vanessa sees that Einn's spell missed the target.
Hearing all that glass grinding beneath the party's boots, you look down and notice some of the shards are practically as big as daggers.
'The Thing Loose in the Vault'
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Einn Sparkbearer
Zadim
Night Hunter
Lady Vanessa Reisende
Seltyiel
Corona Merrion
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Lady Vanessa uses a shard of the broken mirror to locate the creature. Although the alcove is cloaked in the deepest darkness, somehow the shard is able to capture the creature's reflection. [u]She tells her companions to use the shards the same way.[/u]
"USE. ZHEM. LIKE. A. LENZ!"
Embarrassed at having been seen losing her composure (not at losing her composure per se, mind you, but having been seen doing so,) Lady Vanessa takes a deep breath, and adds, "Ah, yes, Einn, I had not thought of zhat. Perhaps ze shards do hold special powers against it. But, also, you can locate ze creature by looking thru ze shard."
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Seltyiel pulls a pinch of powdered iron from his spell component pouch, utters an incantation, and Zadim instantly doubles in height and exponentially more in weight.
It dawns on Einn that the shards of glass might be used as weapons against the creature.
Corona reaches down and grabs a shard of glass. She hefts it. Yep, it could be used like an improvised dagger.
Lady Vanessa schools the party on how to spot the thing, holding a shard of glass in a free hand. She sees the creature move deeper into the alcove.
The creature hurls another ball of flickering cold flames. You see it as it emerges from the darkness and burns Einn.
'The Thing Loose in the Vault'
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Einn Sparkbearer
Zadim
Night Hunter
Lady Vanessa Reisende
Seltyiel
Corona Merrion
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Corona hustles over behind Zadim, marveling at the sight of the creature in the shard. However, she doesn't really have the room to maneuver around the oversized man and so she stops, flicking her wrist to retrieve a small wand from its hiding place.
"Every little bit helps, New Friends," she smiles as she waves her wand over the group.
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Zadim drops one of his kukris, picks up the shard of glass, and studies his target.
Corona looks at the reflection of the creature in the glass shard. It looks like a skeletal human torso coated in liquid shadow, obscuring its bones but clearly revealing its shape. Though most of its form measures only 3-1/2 feet tall, it floats so its head is level with that of a Medium humanoid.
She realizes what you're facing, and she calls out, "It's an owb, an outsider with the extraplanar subtype! They're immune to cold but sensitive to light."
She takes a position behind Zadim and casts bless on the party.
Owb
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Einn Sparkbearer
Zadim
Night Hunter
Lady Vanessa Reisende
Seltyiel
Corona Merrion
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"Zhank you, Coroona. Zhat makes sense, given its connection to ze Shadow Mirror. But best ov all, it's aliiive!" she emphasizes with a hint of glee.
Watching the owb thru its reflection, she begins whispering words in a language of undeath and adds a pinch of salt from her bejeweled silk component pouch, calling on the forces of death to tear this creature apart by its own skeleton.
The owb's bones shake and rattle, tearing into its shadowy form. Its uncontrollable thrashing causes it to shift 5 feet closer to the alcove entrance.
She then reaches down and picks up a second shard, ready to hand it to either Seltyiel or Einn, whomever takes it from her first
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Lady Vanessa pulls a bone fetish out of her fashionable spell component pouch, sprinkles a little salt on it, then shakes it like a marionette. The owl's skeleton rattles within its flesh, causing it grievous harm. Its screams echo in your minds.
Night Hunter grabs a couple of shards of glass, while he continues calling in plays to the team.
Seltyiel takes the shard from Lady Vanessa and advances deep into the alcove toward the owb. Einn grabs a piece of the shattered mirror and follows Seltyiel.
The owb closes with Seltyiel, arms outstretched, ripping into his flesh with freezing claws.
Owb
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Einn Sparkbearer
Zadim
Night Hunter
Lady Vanessa Reisende
Seltyiel
Corona Merrion
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One eye on the piece of mirror in his hand, Zadim lumbers into the room, getting close--but not too close--to the owb.
Seltyiel, cold but courageous, swings his scimitar at the creature and feels his blade connect with its flesh. He notices the creature's distorted outline appears blurred, shifting, and wavering.
Owb
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Einn Sparkbearer
Zadim
Night Hunter
Lady Vanessa Reisende
Seltyiel
Corona Merrion
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Twitching the bone marionette in her long slim fingers, Lady Vanessa adds some salt and repeats the words of undeath.
"Dance for me, creature ov Shadow."
Even through the cloying darkness, you can hear the owb's bones grinding against each other. It dances in the air, and shifts 5 feet to the north away from Seltyiel.