"Well, it's got to do something," Blast says, staring at the barrel again. He tries opening his darkvision once more, doubting it will reveal anything, but hoping for the best. Beyond that, he's at a loss.
Aromar tries to activate the light in his arm and bring it near the tap - does it reveal anything (like a black light)?
"Let me take a look. There's something magical here but I don't really have a clue what it is precisely." Alian moves alongside the barrel till he hits the wall, trying to determine the nature of the magic.
Akari will continue to interactively inspect the face of the barrel.
Upon making her way down to the tap, she will attempt to do two things:
1. Twist the handle, opening or closing the valve
3. Twist the spout in both directions.
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As Akari turns the handle, a hidden door in the barrel opens inwards, revealing a passage and a tall archway smashed through the wall.
Through the archway you see a small passage with stone walls, roof and a wooden floor, proceeding through for twenty feet before stopping at what seems to be a balcony. As the barrel door swings open, two candles to the side of the archway spring into life, as do another two further along, and another two, until a dull golden radiance lights up the passage and the room beyond it.
After you have proceeded through the passageway and explored the room? building? bunker? you discover a safehouse, evidently one that belonged to the Eight. You find several rooms, a storehouse and a training area, and a small manhole.
You realize that you now have your base, and a new part of your inheritance.
Bob quietly whispers- "Whoa."
Second Floor:
This section consist of a balcony, running along the south and east side of the safehouse before coming to a staircase which descends onto the first floor.
First Floor:
A combination food preparation, dining, living and war room, this floor has a kitchen and cupboards in the southeast corner, a large table littered with papers and a large map of Egorian in the northwest corner, and an oddly-shaped pentacle carved into the ground in the southwest corner. In the northeast corner there is a small manhole, which when traversed follows a short passageway into an enormous sewer complex. Arrows on the wall of the sewers lead you another manhole, which opens up to reveal a small and deserted corner of Egorian, one mile from the White Lily.
Storage Room:
To the north is a storage room, containing stacks upon stacks of shelves, crates and various other containers. Also there is a small cache of coins.
Training Room:
A medium-sized annex opens from the first floor to the west, revealing an open space with a dirt floor, the walls lined alternately with dummies and archery targets. From the blast patterns on the targets, you can tell that magical blasts have been used upon them too.
Bedrooms:
To the south there is a complex of eight bedrooms branching off from a central corridor, containing beds and an assortment of items unique to the previous owner, with water-closets adjoining to the corridor.
General:
The safehouse, while deserted, is clean and the food is fresh, with candles lit as you proceed through. This is puzzling but (Perception check DC 10) you notice the dirt upon your boots disappearing as you walk further into the base.
Firstly, level up! You have all reached level 2.
Secondly, you need to all decide what you rooms are going to be found to contain. You have 3,000 gold to spend on items which you will find either in your room or in the storeroom, in addition to stocks of general mundane items already there- waterskins, trail rations etc etc. Please do not make these items too individual to yourselves, as they are supposed to have been left by the previous occupants of the room. For example, Blast, I know you were working on something in particular, please don't have it suddenly appear in your room. You'll have to go out and buy a new one. Also, you all find and equally split a gold cache between you, leaving you with 1,000 in gold pieces each. Note that you cannot spend it without going for a shopping trip, and I think you want to talk a little first.
Thirdly, welcome to the sandbox. Before now I have been leading you on to this place, but from now you are in charge. Have your characters say whatever you want to do- join the guards, assassinate the queen or even hang around in the brothel, and i'll create a side-quest (forgive the Elder Scrolls terminology) for you. Also please note that while I am going to be reluctant to let one of you die, I am going to knock you around, and if you try something far beyond your level- single combat with a captain of the guard for instance- you ARE going to get slaughtered. This isn't Oblivion's levelled encounter system.
Anyway, have fun!
"Whoa, indeed. Look at this, someone's even left tea stuff!" Mellany says from the kitchen area. "Anyone else want a cup? I'm not much of a cook, but anyone can boil water for tea." She lights a fire in the stove, Imagine there was wood and kindling and everything, and starts pulling cups and saucers from the cupboards.
"Thanks again, Bob. We really owe you. If we do whatever it is we're supposed to do, your grandchildren will be telling stories about the Nine."
Pyrrius looks around, amazed at the scope of the safehouse. Seeing Mellany in the kitchen, he joins her. "I could use a cup. Wash away the taste of the prison," he says looking through the cupboards and it's contents before grabbing a piece of fresh looking bread. He sniffs at it, shrugs and then takes a big bite of it, chewing it slowly, savouring it. "To go from gruel to fresh bread... Amazing." He brushes the crumbs from his rags and watches as they slowly dissappear from the floor, at which point he notices the dirt from his footwear slowly dissipating.
"Incredible. This place is it's own butler and launders clothing too."
"A cup of tea, that would be wonderful. Its been a while since I have had the luxury of such a simple comfort." Aromar walks into the kitchen and sizes it up. "This should do just fine, and if it cleans itself up after me, then this is heaven."
Aromar accepts the tea handed to him from Mellany with a smile and a slight bow. He sips on it for a few minutes before setting it down on the counter. "Now, we create ... lets see ... Something hearty." To test the mysterious capabilities of the room he imagines just the ingredients he needs, opens a cupboard and voila! He sets about prepping, cutting, chopping and preparing a sizable batch of rabbit stew. "Won't be long and we shall have a small feast on our hands, I assume everyone is hungry. This one's a recipe taught to me by my grandmother." His spirits suddenly lifted at the warm rememberance of her.
"In a moment, first though..." Alian hadn't really paid attention to most of the place yet, trying to figure out what those auras were. He slowly approaches the areas it's coming from, keeping his distance as to not disturb anything.
Alian mulls around the area, not quite sure what it all is.
"That sounds lovely, Mellany." Blast glances around, suddenly feeling a little overwhelmed by what's happened to him. "And if there's any stronger drinks, I might like a dash of that as well..."
After the tea and food, Blast wanders off to explore the rest of the house, finding some choice equipment in the storage room as well as a bedroom he claims...
Akari will immediately bathe herself as she watches her clothes magically being washed and pressed. Once done, you'll find her dancing and spinning around the new base of operations, giggling and squeaking from time to time, as she explores the rooms and furnishing.
"Perhaps we should name this place, maybe something spooky like 'Lair of the 8' or something more secretive like 'The place'... what do you guys thin?"
Taurven's first thought is for weapons and armor, of which he finds quite a nice selection. Then he notes pleasant foody smells wafting out of the kitchen. His stomach growls; it has been a long time since his last meal.
He heads for the kitchen to see what's cooking.
Arriving just in time to hear Akari's comments.
The place... Not bad. Lair of the eight may be a little bit too informative to use in public.
Taurven finishes the delicious rabbit stew, then adjourns of to the bathroom. It would definitely be good to wash the prison grime off.
When he is finished there he finds the others. I've been thinking about our next steps.
We are talking about a revolution, yes?
the half-elf's face has a troubled look. The trouble with revolutions is, so many innocent people get hurt.
If we rally the common folk, many of them will die.
Taurven shakes his head in negation. I was more or less raised by pirates and that has got me thinking. What if we take over the gangs of this city. Usually if you take down the leader, the rest of the gang will follow you.
Taurven shrugs. A least that's how it worked in the pirate gang I was in. May not work that way every time...
We could start with the Tail-takers. They already know us, so I kind of expect them to to be a recurring problem.
Taurven looks around.So, what do you all think
Savoring her stew and tea, Mellany listens to her friends' conversation. Somehow, she avoids gasping in surprise when her empty stew bowl is whisked from the table by invisible hands. "I like simple names," Mellany finally responds to Akari and Taurven's dialog. "It's too early to call this 'home', so 'the place' works for me."
"The tail-takers need to be taught a lesson, but I'm not going to become a gang leader," Mellany says and then starts giggling. "Really, me a leader? You've got to be kidding. But doing what we can to make sure no one's being assaulted because they look different is a good start to doing what we promised. The tail-takers are a good first target."
Then Mellany turns her attention to Bob. "What kind of woman is Madam Magdla? I mean... How does she treat Shelia and the other girls? And what kind of fuss is she going to make about a bunch of strangers that wandered into her wine cellar but never came back?"
When Taurven starts talking business, Akari will stop looking around and focus in real hard on what he and Mellany have to say.
"You're right Mellany, we'll have to exit through the front this time, and re-enter from the back."
"As for taking out a city, we only need to consider what pillars this place is standing on, and go at them with a hammer... quietly. Once we take out a few, a simple push and the whole thing comes crashing down. The only thing to worry about is what comes next after anarchy, and the answer is generally worse than the problem in the first place. Perhaps we have a few questions to consider:"
1. What were the specific goals of our predecessors? Did they leave a journal? We should look for one.
2. What are the pillars of Cheliax?
a. What keeps her enemies divided until now?
b. Are the people and army receiving any divine assistance?
c. Who keeps the military loyal?
d. Who are the key players in this city and who or what is uniting them?
3. Once the city falls, what is our vision for the future? What kind of nation would we like for Cheliax to become?
"Taurven, I know that you and others of us are worried about the citizens, but how innocent are the citizens of Cheliax? Are they ready to embrace the idea of this place burning down around them? Depending on that answer, they will become our allies, or our enemies. Perhaps we should consider what it is the people are lacking, and really use that as leverage to gain their support."
After Akari's long winded speech, a wave of self-consciousness hits her and she begins to blush.
"What? I've been considering this for longer than y'all might think."
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Bob start's at Mellany's glance, still somewhat caught at a reverie at this huge place buried underneath the Lily
"Magdla? She's... cold, I guess is the best word. Too many years as a whore, too many years working for the wrong bosses with the wrong clients. Eventually got her own place and ran it like a military camp ever since. She treats Shelia and the others fairly well; if they're honest with her she's kind enough. Hmm... knowing her, she'll just be hoping we're hassling the girls so she can get her men to knock us around and swipe our purses; if we close that barrel and board up that trapdoor, she'll probably just assume we made our own way out. Though let me go have a word with Shelia first..."
Bob coughs for a moment, slightly unnerved by Akari's forthright speech, before he perks up slightly. "So, since it was thanks to me that you fellows found this place, do I get a cut? Aft'all, if t'werent for me and my enoremously brilliant mem'ry you fellows'd still be searching for a shack amid the s$~% o' the plaza..."
Blast listens to all of the talk, thinking and wondering. How are we possibly going to bring down Cheliax? The tiefling frowns down at his food and drink, which he's barely touched.
He does chuckle a moment at Bob's request. "Certainly, little master," Blast says with only a little sarcasm. "How much are you talking, here?"
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"Hmm..." Bob contemplatively strokes a beard that has yet to materialize- "Well, usual rates for discovered secret hideouts, throw in the secret order tax, plus the cost of accessing my numerous connections... toss in fifteen gold and we'll call it even given as you broke me and my mates out of jail?"
Taurven grins at Bob. I like your style, sprout. It's only fair that you should get a cut of the treasure.
"Wrong bosses and the wrong clients," Mellany muses about Bob's assessment of Magdla. "Sounds like the story of my life from the time I was about Shelia's age till I met Cat. I'd rather not be in a spot with only one way out. Could we cover the trapdoor or something and not board it shut?"
While Akari muses about the social situation in Cheliax, Mellany pours another cup of tea and drinks it slowly. Did I really promise to bring down an entire empire? She thinks. Tail-takers and brothel keepers I understand, but an empire? Mellany is deep in her thoughts when she hears Bob discussing the fee for his help.
"For crying out loud, Taurven," Mellany laughs. "Don't know how you did things on your pirate ship, but in town we normally don't agree to the first price someone mentions. Well, you made the agreement. Just hope Bob doesn't take you for a rube."
"Friends," she says standing up at the table. "Before we go toppling the empire, I have some things to attend to. First, I need to wash off the stench of its dungeon. After that a good night's sleep. I think Celiax can wait that much longer." She then walks down the hall to a bedroom that nobody's claimed as their own yet.
"Alright, little man, here you are." Blast pulls a small pouch from his belt and counts out 16 gold pieces, winking as throws the extra in. "Try not to spend it all too fast, hm?"
Soon afterwards, the tiefling continues to explore the storehouse and his bedroom, and you hear him softly moving late into the night, before he finally goes to sleep in the early hours of morning.
Unseen servants ey? Simple but clever. Good, no point in using more resources than needed.
When Mellany mentioned other things Alian nodded, "I concur. Rest would be very welcome but I also need to find me a healthy willow tree soon. That and an axe." He needed his tools back, his way to contact the Grandmother and willow was the only way.
Taurven chuckles at Mellany's comment. I thought he wasn't asking enough. Then he turns to Bob.If you get into trouble again, or need help, look me up, I'll do what I can.
Taurven nods at Alian. I found everything I need, here, but I will come with you while you look for that tree. If you want me to.
Akari chuckels and shakes her head.
"Bob, you're rich now, beyond your wildest dreams. What will you do with your new found fortune?"
Akari is having a hard time hiding her laugh
After the conversation dies down a bit, Akari will essentially spend as long as she can searching the rest of their new base of operations. She is looking specifically for a journal or log of the adventures, accomplishments, and goals/plans of her predecessors in "The Eight".
After her bath, Mellany puts on the robe the invisible helpers left in the wash room and goes to the room she chose as her own. She has no idea why this of the eight options should be hers, but at least the bed wasn't made. The sheets and blankets were clean, but other than the bottom sheet none of them were tucked in. I have no idea who lived here before, but at least she understood the trapped feeling of sleeping under tight bedclothes. How did she get the helpers to stop making the bed in this room?
From the dresses she finds in the large chest at the foot of the bed, Mellany guesses that the former occupant was either female or was a male with an adventurous fashion sense. Probably best just to think of the former owner as woman and move on. Either way, the clothes are of good quality and the right size. Mellany is tempted to toss the old rags she wore in the dungeon into the fireplace, but it would be a shame to let the helpers' work of washing and pressing them go to waste.
There are several other useful items the old owner left behind that Mellany is thankful she'll have as she helps her friends fulfill their promise. Although she doesn't want to consider how she'll use a deck of fortune telling cards or a pair of manacles before she's gotten good night's sleep. So thinking, she climbs into bed and falls asleep.
After spending several hours exploring the warehouse, taking items only after everyone else has said they didn't need them (which may or may not have gotten on everyone else's nerves--"Do you want this?" becoming a recurring statement from the tiefling), Blast finally decides it may be time to get some shut-eye.
Padding as softly as he can down the hall, having removed his boots earlier, Blast decides to try the door of the third room to the east, not having seen anyone enter it earlier. He opens the door as slowly and quietly as he can, forgetting momentarily that the keepers must have kept the hinges well oiled.
He has stumbled upon--No, with the amount of "fate" going on, I suppose I was guided here--what is apparently the former study and workroom of a fledgling alchemist.
Across a large worktable, with a stool in front, is a set of alchemist's tools: an abacus, beakers, vials, candles, clamps, jars, everything tools Blast used only back at the academy, and these are even finer than the school's equipment. Tacked to the wall are over a dozen formulae, and on the table is a formula book with ink and pen, the previous occupant apparently having begun to copy the recipes down, whether in the book or on loose papers in a stack.
Blast runs his hand reverently over these, then notices the bed and chest that are also in the room. He crouches by the chest, finding a lock there, with a key on the floor just in front. Surely not... the alchemist thinks, but upon trying the key, the lock clicks and the chest pops open by a fraction of an inch. Blast slowly opens the heavy wooden container, wondering what he might discover within.
The first thing he notices are two wands strapped to the inside of the lid, very neatly labeled "Healing, Light." Whoever was in here before, they were a neat freak, Blast thinks as he turns his gaze to the main contents of the chest.
Within, he finds a smaller selection of alchemical reagents along with vials and other such equipment; he quickly determines it to be all the necessaries to create extracts, mutagens, and even bombs in the field. He also finds a pair of smoked goggles and a doctor's mask. A REAL neat freak, Blast thinks.
He shuffles around the room a little more, tinkering with the vials and burners, but not really making anything, and eventually heads to sleep, enjoying remaking the bed into a pile of loose bedclothes that he burrows into, scooping breathing holes out with his arms. He then curls into the fetal position, leaving the only visible part of him the tail that snakes out through its own hole and twitches, even when the tiefling is asleep.
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Akari, you discover a small corkboard next to the map of Egorian in the main hall. It has several hundred pieces of paper stuck to it. However, all writing written upon the papers is in different codes, sometimes in a readable language and sometimes in strange, otherworldly symbols. You cannot read any of them at this time.
As Akari continues to look the cork board up and down, her eye-lids become lead and her knees begin to buckle.
"I'm exhausted. Should be plenty of time tomorrow. You've got this girl."
Akari walks slowly through the kitchen and into the hallway leading to the bedrooms. With her hand sliding across the wall, she walks down the way, peering into each room as she goes. At the end of the hall, something catches her eye: A beautifully adorned rapier hanging on the back wall, hanging above the bed. Next to it, a targe made of a rich, dark wood with a dagger slotted in the top. Excited to test out the weapon, Akari makes her way to the bed, but falls asleep almost instantly as soon as she feels the soft blankets and feather pillow.
The next morning, Akari wakes to the smell of fried pig grease and freshly baked bread.
"They better have saved some for me!"
In almost one instant, the tangled blanket goes flying into the wall as Akari jumps from the mattress, to the tip of the carved bed frame, to the door, in one fluid motion. She sprints to the end of the hallway and slides into the kitchen to find a table covered in food, and nobody there preparing it.
"Helloooooo? Who prepared all this food?!"
Without giving it a second thought, she sits down and begins devouring food as if she would never see civilization again.
Taurven yawns, and makes his way to bed. 'Night all.
Finding his room he removes his clothes, hanging them on the back of a chair. Taurven selects the finest of the daggers he will keep it close; tucked under the edge of the mattress, within easy reach as he lies in bed.
Upon waking Taurven is pleased to find his clothes cleaned and pressed. Pulling them on he makes his way to the kitchen. Coffee... He mutters in a low voice.
Alian finds himself a cabin exactly to his liking. It is sober but very comfortable and has everything one would need but nothing more than that. The absence of lighting makes it clear that the former occupant either had a magical light source or could see in the dark, like he could. The bed there was made perfectly and looked pristine as did everything else.
In addition there was a dark, leather clad trunk that cleared showed signs of wear as well as what looked like marks from being submerged in water at some point during it's life. The chest was locked but the key was placed under the pillow on the bed. Inside the chest was a hooded black coat of a very good quality, probably thick wool, the trims sown with white thread. In addition he finds a very fine piece of armor inscribed with arcane signs on the inside. The chest contained even more odds and ends but by the time Alian had discovered the armor to be a perfect fit he was too tired to continue rummaging through it.
Alian quietly walks up behind Akari, "There is a bunch of permanent Unseen Servants walking about, preparing things. No idea where they get their resources though."
That's interesting. Says Taurven, then he sips at his coffee. He watches Akari attack her breakfast with some amusement.
We need to keep both entrances to this place viable. The half-elf looks at Alian. We need to befriend Magdal. We need to cover the hole in the floor of her wine cellar.
Taurven blows across his coffee, it is quite hot, and very aromatic.
I don't care for the idea of being trapped in here with only one exit. I'm not the only one who feels that way.
We need to cover it, but not seal it.
Taurven grabs a plate and begins to load breakfast onto it.
Anyway, that's my two pinches* worth.
*Cheliaxian cp.
Still clad in her bath robe, Mellany wordlessly shuffles into the kitchen area and pours a cup of coffee. She sits at a table and looks at the coffee cup without drinking from it. Her bloodshot eyes don't really seem to be focused on the beverage and her face is puffy as if she'd spent most of the night crying.
"I have to find Cat," Mellany eventually says. "Cat's not a pet. He's my friend and teacher and he shares his magic with me and... Well he's like a part of me. I know it's crazy, but it's what I am. You team up with a witch, you team up with a crazy girl that talks to animals." Mellany smiles and takes a sip of her coffee. "Maybe other witches aren't crazy, but you teamed up with me."
The witch sits and drinks more of her coffee then says, "I think I know a way to find Cat, but it's going to take some time and special materials. I don't know where to find them in this town. Bob, you said one of your friends studied with an old witch. Do you think she'd be willing to help me with my shopping?"
Pyrrius looks at Mellany, "We can go with you. It can't hurt to get more of an idea of the area, and we can see if we can find information about things in the process."
Blast stumbles out of the room, running a hand over his haggard face. His bruise disappeared with the healing magic he received, but he's still stretching his jaw.
In the kitchen, Blast wakes up quickly when he sees Mellany. "What's wrong?" the tiefling asks concernedly, his tail pulling a handkerchief from one pocket and holding it to her. He listens to Mellany's words.
"Of course, you're crazy! We all are, I think." Blast looks at her solemnly, saying, "I'll help you find Cat. I bet you feel the same way without him that I felt without my alchemy."
Taurven frowns. He had already promised to help Alian find his willow tree. Now, Mellany needs to get her cat back and she seems to have a greater urgency. Taurven wonders if they should split up. It's not an idea he cares for much, it takes all of them to pull off that teleportation trick, though the Bard is unsure if they really could do it again, anyway. The old man in the cell seemed to be calling the shots on that one.
There, there, Mellany. I'm sure we can get your cat back, somehow. He says, knowing how lame it sounds.
"Thanks, everyone," Mellany says as she pours another cup of coffee and grabs a roll from the counter. "I'm glad you're willing to help even if you don't understand. Blast, you may not want Cat to hear you comparing him to alchemy. I think I know what you're talking about, but he might not."
Quickly finishing her coffee and roll, Mellany stands up. "Alright Bob, let's visit Madam Wilheminia." She takes a few steps towards the door then stops suddenly. "I guess I really should dress first. I may live under a brothel, but that's no excuse for going in public dressed like one of the girls." Mellany dashes back to her room and emerges a few minutes later dressed for a shopping trip.
"So, which way does anyone want to go? I suggest trying the exit through the sewers so we can see if there's anything nasty we need to take care of waiting in that direction."
Great, more crap, Blast thinks as he rises with Mellany. He smiles, though. "Sounds better than going through the brothel. Not exactly the best way to head out and begin our righteous quest, hm?"
The tiefling slips back to his room for a minute or two, then returns, patting his pockets. "Just grabbed some coin," the tiefling says. "I figure I may as well do some shopping of my own, if we're heading out anyway." His tail also brings a small vial out of one pocket. "And this," he says with a grin, "is a little something I just brewed up. Perhaps it'll help to keep the 'tail-takers' off."