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Flashing his best smile, Maximo sweeps his helm from his head as he performs a practiced bow. "My good man." Widening his hands slightly to include the two women. "Lovely ladies."
"As my friend has so elouquently stated, we must stop Nessian. It is said you know many secrets, and that one of them might be the location of his hideout. If you do not know, please send us on our way before too much time is wasted. If you do know, but are hesitant to speak, perhaps you could explain why and we can enter a dialogue."
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Grandmaster Torch seems torn. You do make a good point, and he is inclined to help you, but at the same time, it seem he has some need that will ease the burden of his moral delima, or rather lack of one, a certain neutral, scoundrelous "work ethic", if you will. Perhaps, there is something else you can offer/explain/suggest that might sweeten the deal. . .?
Still, with very soft and gentle voice, though obviously one filled with pain and some difficulty speaking, I do indeed know, the location of his base of opperations. But you must understand the position you are asking me to step into. Nessian, though a low-brow scoundrel and ruffian, is a up-and-comer in not only the Puddles, but the whole of Absolom's underworld. He will be a powerful man, if he is blessed enough to survive so long. Such a betrayel would not be a wise choice on my part. Not without some . . . . Looking at the two topless women, he makes a motion as if to say please step outside for a moment, my dears, and offers a thankful smile.
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Listening to the conversation between Maximo and Torch, Ausk grits his teeth and tightens the grip of his closed fists, his claws digging a bit into his palms. He was starting to like this individual less and less. "Listen, prince-ass," he says as he steps forward ahead of the rest of the party to approach the Grandmaster within a few feet. "I bring you a head and a deed to anything Nessian owns. You name it, I find it. I have no time, so hurry and we both make profit. All right?" The half-orcs eyes glare at the face of the burnt-skinned man, his voice having cracked like thunder; his speech a storm of words and his body, the dark and overbearing clouds of the torrent.
Intimidate
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I think my friend here brings up a good point. Time is counting down. Perhaps your highly thought of sources mentioned the light in the harbor already? These are things much bigger than the Puddles or the even Absolom's underworld. We are not here for the money, anything we find can go to you--or if you prefer something sooner, Galdur pats the bag his coins are kept in. More importantly we will make sure no connection between us and you can be made.
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While it had seemed your where making Mr. Torch more pliant, that last outburst from the Half-Orc barbarian seemed to catalyse his resolve, just not in the direction you had wished. He begins to sit up, losing control of his cool for a moment before Six, thousand gold pieces, then. That shall be my price at selling out a future warlord of Absalom.
As he glares at Ausk, one of the women come foreward and whispers something into his ear.
He puzzles it over for a moment, and then nods. You are right, my dear girl. You are always right, and you know I love you for all that you do. I could not be alive if, . . . before realizing you are still around.
I seriously doubt you could meet my price, by the looks of you. However, perhaps there is something you can do for me. I have recently come into possession of a safe with a serioes of locks build into it. My normal, . . . safecracker turned out to be inept at this puzzle.
If you can retreave the items within, without destroying the safe or breaking it open, I will aid you in finding Nessian's location, this so called "temple fo the dog". The safe has a total of five locks. Three are required to open the main compartment, which holds the treasure I swore to gift my ladies.
Oh, and one more thing, little adventurerers. Should my diviners find that you have crossed me, or somehow stolen the contents, there will be repercussions. I swear, you will not like them.
The other woman opens the door, revealing a large chest, designed similar to a pentagram. It has five sides, each with a different display. The entire safe is set on some sort of magical invisible force, allowing to to be carried with ease. the woman brings it before you, then retreats back with Grandmaster Torch and the other female to watch.
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Though it seems too late to prevent insult, Maximo attempts to ease tempers by inserting himself between Torch and Ausk, presenting both with a patronizing smile. "No need for harsh words. We're all gentlemen of honor, are we not?"
His words are poorly chosen, though he himself seems oblivious to them, as if expecting them to work magic, and before either can respond, he has already turned to examine the safe, giving a sly wink to the lady that presented it.
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Snorting, Ausk had honestly considered the six thousand gold pieces for a minute, though he wasn't sure of the worth of the head of a warlord of Absolom. After all, there's always someone who wants any given person of importance dead and even Ausk knew that. Sighing, Ausk stared over at the safe as it was presented to them and began examining the side with the three golden faces very closely, unknowingly approaching it, staring into the eyes of the stern face.
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Aram continues to move his hand over the smooth stone lock, still feeling some connection to it. There's no lock or any facing on it to give any clue to open it. He tilts his head back, closes his eyes, and summons the power deep within him, whether from his orcish or his(unknown to him)Rakshasa heritage, to open the chest.
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Ausk - The three pictures seem to be indicating something. Something primal. Something wild. It calls to you, waiting to be unleashed. You also notice it DOES NOT seem to have any pull over the other Half-Orc.
Galdur & Aram - It does seem exceptionally well crafted, certainly by masterful Dwarven hands. You feel no latches, no catches, no handle, and in fact no lock. It doesn't seem to have the resistance to being raised that the others do.
Also, for later a Perception check, a Refl and Fort save, and a Linguistics (Trained ONLY) check.
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The chest is incredibly heavy, far beyond what all of you combined could lift.
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Ausk was beginning to become frustrated with the faces, unable to open them or turn them or anything for that matter. His anger began to build as he tried to pull and twist on the faces with his bare hands, one after another.
Also, if it's relevant, I get a +2 bonus on saves against fear, charm, and compulsion.
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Aram, your miming seems to be no more good than my pleading to the ancestors. Did you find anything useful?" Assuming the answer is negative, Galdur will try to turn, twist, push, and pull the chest to get a better understanding of what he has discovered.
It doesn't seem to have the resistance to being raised that the others do.
The chest is incredibly heavy, far beyond what all of you combined could lift.
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Maximo steps back from Ausk with a highly arched eyebrow. "Well if anger is the key, I fear I may be of little help. I am a lover, not a fighter." He smiles for a moment in self-reflection, then starts as he seems to realize something. Glaring at the chest like an enemy, he declarees, "But I am a fighter too, so don't get any ideas!"
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As Ausk grows more and more angry, unleashing the beastial fury, his side of the chest pops open, and a discernible "click" can be heard. Grandmastr Torch smiles, becoming rather pleased with the progress, as if no one has cracked even a single one yet. . . until now.
[ooc]One of the girls chuckles a bit at Maximo's last comment, not unflirtaciously. . .
PS, You are doing really well. Keep it up. Work together, bounce ideas off each other, and try a few things. :)
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Ausk exhales, trying to calm down and eventually succeeded after his side of the box opens and a grin begins to develop on his face. But he suddenly gets a weird sense. Perhaps it was just superstition, but Ausk could not help but stare at the smooth, plain-faced side of the box. "'Ey, uh..." He would then look over to Aram. "That side... not right. Already opened, but... we can't see it... But I think we need to make us see it... or else it not really open." His words were hesitant. It was difficult for the half-orc to explain exactly what he meant, especially with his dull intellect and limited capacity for socializing and linguistics.
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Here is what you do see, after a few moments of study:
1.) Lacks an aura completely. Aside from the underlying Universal aura connecting all five sides together, this one has nothing at all.
2.) At first, you had assumed it was a moderate Necromancy, but it is actually something else, something just as dark as what is normally ascribed to the school of Necromancy. (OPEN)
3.) This one, has a weak arua of Illusion, and as you detect magic, words actually appear, (and remain even after the spell is gone. It says
"Though different now sounds my name,
the spelling still remains the same.
Once prior leap of might,
now becomes bird of white."
4.) You fail to see what magics make up this aura, (though it shouldn't be difficult to guess after what Ausk just said).
5.) Seems a unique blends of Transmutation, Abjuration, and Enchantment magics, though they are Arcane, they are not Wizard nor Sorcerer, nor even Witchly. It seems the sort of magic one calls on to inspire and bolster allies to do better.
Everyone, upon looking at #5, after Maximo's question, can I have a Linguistics check, (can do untrained)?
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Aram is still absorbing the information from his spell when he remembers what Ausk said.
"Opening and closing..."he says. He concentrates on the lock with this in mind and does indeed see it opening and closing. He is a bit embarrassed that the somewhat dim Ausk noticed this before he, a sorceror, did. "Hey, everyone, the 4th lock is opening and closing. Can any of you see it?"
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"I cast a 'detect magical auras' spell on the locks," answers Aram. "The 1st lock has no aura. The 2nd, though, has a dark aura. Something evil, though I can't tell just what. The 3rd has a illusion spell aura, and words appeared when I cast the spell:
"Though different now sounds my name,
the spelling still remains the same.
Once prior leap of might,
now becomes bird of white."
"Whatever that means. The 4th lock I couldn't identify, but I see it's magic now. The 5th lock has several magics blended, and seems to be some sort of bardic magic. I wonder why only Ausk and I can see it. Maybe it's because of our shared orcish blood?"
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linguistics attempt...
Dove and dove in the common tongue.... In dwarvish the word for... Galdur disappears into a short discourse on etymology of certain dwarven characters. Then he brings himself back to the project at hand.
Evil you say? Maximo, does your training have anything to do with evil and demons?" he asks pointing to the Devil Dial. Then he moves back to the stone chest.
I cannot see it Aram, but can you time it? Tell me when to lift the lid? He grips the lid and readies to lift it when the Sorcerer gives the signal.