"You'd expect the mask to be somewhere in the main room, right around those prison cells ..." Kardas wiggles his fingers and invokes Auril's icy breath, laying bare the threads of the Weave. He then proceeds to explore the room and hallway, trying to find that blasted Maskite mask. Funny, that.
Azarra attempts to assist Kardas in his search.
Zane helped the others in the brief search for the mask, wanting to dismantle the illusions cloaking this beautiful place piece by piece.
It takes a while but Kardas eventually finds a mask in the area of thick shadows near Zane and Azarra. The ceiling was high, so getting it down took several attempts. Eventually Kardas was boosted up by Ser Armithia and he was able to slice the twine holding it with his sword. The mask fluttered down into the deep shadow, and it took several minutes to find it, for it had traveled many yards. It was as if the shadows were jealously guarding it!
Kardas pulled it free and smashed it. As before everyone in the room developed a sudden violent headache as reality began to reassert itself. Once the illusions where laid bare a vision of opulence and cruelty was revealed. The walls and floors and in this area where predominantly white marble polished to a mirror like shine. Yet in places under the torture instruments set to the walls, there where suspicious stains. The cages themselves where revealed to be gilded with gold, and filled with straw - all the better to clean up the filth from any prisoners within. The guillotine itself was beautifully crafted from teak and other lacquered hard woods. It was decorated with gilded carvings of masks and passages from Mask's profane scripture.
"There, the stairs!" cried Natalia as the headache passed enough for her to speak, "Quinn will be down there!"
Ser Armithia stands next to the foul contraption.
This needs to be consecrated! Zane, tomorrow, if you please.
The paladin points downstairs.
A disturbing smell rises from the staircase, carried on a feint breeze. It smells of iron and blood and feces.
Azarra tries to see if the staircase is trapped.
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Everything happens too quickly for Ishta to grasp it. Marissa is beaten unconscious, Natalia rejoins with her sister, they find and destroy the mask...
She's not quite sure how to prepare for what's next. "Does anyone want to grow?"
Zane, as before, became unfocused as the true opulence of the mansion took over his senses as the illusion was destroyed. And suddenly there was a staircase next to him, as well! His green eyes picked out the stains upon the polished marble floors, a fine line on his forehead betraying his anger at the evils that had been done in this place.
The priest nodded his agreement to Ser Armithia, then turned to Kardas. "Our friend Ser Armithia is girded in enough steel to protect him from all but the most zealous of blows, but your own skill rests on aggression and offense. May I call upon the Morninglord to boost your defenses before this hopefully final confrontation?" Zane smiled at the man, and assuming he agreed, he chanted a prayer to Lathander, a rosy pink aura settling around the Rashemi man before it became insubstantial.
Once that was done, he shook his head at Ishta's question, thinking that such a magic would be better suited for the gold elf and wizard-warrior. Looking at each of his companions and Natalia, he spoke. "Let us go defeat the last of these Maskites and bring Phlan one step closer to rebirth."
Ser Armithia nods to Zane, as he summons Helm's sight. The paladin prepares to lead.
Azarra asks Natalia if she thinks she can get out safely with her daughter. She doesn't want to risk the young girl in the fight ahead. If Natalia thinks she can, then she asks where they can meet up later so they can see about getting the implant out of her. If not, she suggests that she either stay up here, or far back, so that her daughter stays safe.
As Azarra starts checking for traps, she's reminded by Natalia's words.
"Oh and Sir, whatever you do don't touch the third or the eleventh steps."
Sure enough the third step settles slightly when pushed and looking up in the ceiling you spot a row of well hidden holes. You assume half a dozen spears would come crashing down. You wouldn't be surprised if they where poisoned either! Further down the eleventh step also appears to be some kind of pressure plate. This time however you notice a tiny crack in the wall, given the size of it you expect some kind of spring loaded blade or cutting wheel will scythe out into anyone unfortunate to step upon it...
As you descend a good fifteen to twenty feet, the smell of blood grows stronger and stronger. It's mixed with other less pleasant odors. From below a dull red light filters up ominously, and at the bottom of the narrow stairs you find a narrow sandstone corridor. There are two doors leading from it, the ones going south lead to Quinn's personal quarters according to Netalia and the other one leads into the practice room. The practice room door is ajar and from it streams the ruddy red light and the awful smell.
Prepared for anything you creep inside and gasp at the terrible scene within! For in a semi circle in front of you are half a dozen young girls, each of whose throats have been slit. Their blood however floats above them formed into the unmistakable shape of Mask's holy symbol. It glows with an evil red light veined with threads of pulsing darkness. Thin tendrils of red smoke rise from their ruined throats linking them with the profane symbol. From behind you Natalia gasps, and collapses - these where her friends!
The walls and ceiling of the room are a marvel, made out of beaten brass burnished to look like gold. Hundreds of locks of all kinds are affixed to the walls along with dozens of safes. Two of which stand open, their contents removed. In addition there are numerous well used practice dummies with the location of vital organs marked, clearly these have been used for combat training.
The symbol opened up some kind of rift into the shadow realm... one that could lead to anywhere.
The symbol also appears to be fading, and will be gone in a couple of hours.
I think Quinn escaped through that symbol, so if we want to catch her, we have to do so soon, preferably there and back again before the symbol fades.
Azarra goes across the hall into Quinn's quarters, wanting to get any evidence that might be there before one of the guys barges through the unholy portal in pursuit.
I am hesitant about following her at this time. We have no idea where it shall lead. Helm's smite is gone for this day.
The knight stands by the portal.
We should guard against any return whilst it remains open.
While Ser Armithia watched the portal warily, Zane followed Azarra to Quinn's personal quarters to make certain their quarry had actually escaped and not just duped them with the profane magical exit.
The door to Quinn's room turns out to be locked.
Azarra attempts to pick the lock:
Hmm, can't pick this one. I think someone might have to break it, sorry.
"I don't think it is a good idea. As much as I don't like leaving Quinn alone and wandering at his will, following him through there seems a lose/lose situation. We could be unable to survive the environment, or he could be ambushing us, or what else."
Ishta then tries to help Azarra with the lock, with no success.
"I guess the gentlemen here might want to have a try?" she offers, signaling at the door.
Can't say I necessarily disagree, but at long as Quinn is alive, Natalia and her ... Natalia and Clara won't be safe.
A pale looking Nataia with blotchy eyes offers to have a go at the lock but with little success.
<--- NO
She curses softly before suggesting, "Looks like you'll have to force it open. I think there's a pry bar we could use, upstairs in one of the storage closets. Would you like me to fetch it?"
No need.
Azarra pulls out her Traveler's Any Tool and hands it to whichever person is going to try to jimmy the door.
"Wait, let me check it before." Ishta concentrates and uses Detect Magic on the door.
Quinn's door proves to be very sturdy. The first few attempts with the any-tool prybar do nothing but scratch the paint. In the end however persistence wins out and nearly twenty minutes later you finally crack Quinn's door open! Inside is a vision on luxury, the parquet floor is festooned with plush carpets from Calimshan upon which are two very large wardrobes made from ebony and teak. The bed has a soft down mattress and luxurious grey silken sheets.
The walls have tasteful dark red velvet wallpaper and sport two display cabinets, apparently filled with trophies. One trophy collection is quite disturbing. It contains dozens and dozens of mummified pinky fingers ranging from ones small enough to be from a baby, right up to huge ones that must have come from an ogre! The other trophy cabinet contains a collection of holy and unholy symbols. All the major gods are represented including bane (yes it's the one you're after) as well as symbols stolen from the clergy of obscure deities you've never heard of.
Curiously the wardrobes are empty bar some unwashed small clothes and an empty strong box. You assume Quinn took almost everything of value before she left.
Se Armithia relays the information to the others.
Casting Detect Evil, the paladin sweeps the room. He points out any that do radiate evil to Zane.
The knight then stands guard as the others rummage through the room.
Azarra takes a closer look.
--> fail.
These hardwood wardrobes are worth a lot; maybe 800 gold if sold as a pair. Let's make sure that is part of the Council's portion, so they can figure out how to move them.
-- fail.
This is gross, but the pinky finger collection could probably be sold to a necromancer for about 500 gold. I... I guess I kind of think we should destroy them instead, but that is a lot of money, so I understand whatever everyone wants to do. It likely won't help the former owners of those fingers to destroy them. It would only make me feel a little better. Killing children. Is there anything more evil than that? ... If so, I don't want to know.
Azarra goes back into the other room now that she has had a minute to steel herself to witness the grisly scene again, and she starts opening the many safes.
With Natalia's help Azarra is able to open sixteen of the twenty four safes. Frustratingly all bar two where empty but you did manage to find several items of interest.
Ishta, you use spellbooks, right? You might want this one.
Made none of them, but Azarra picks up the enchanted arrows anyway.
Once they are finished up down here, Azarra goes back upstairs (reminding everyone to be careful of the trapped steps), and checks on the prisoners. Then she suggests that they check Door R.
Zane stands silent sentinel as Ishta and Azarra are the main ones going through the loot, their knowledge of the arcane making them the obvious choices to peruse the area. The priest's green eyes darken as Ser Armithia points out the large finger and the various holy symbols, but he refrains from gathering them up, for now. Though Zane himself had taken to the Morninglord's portfolio as his own, all the gods deserved respect, as they were the embodiments of their particular ethos. Almost forces of nature, and therefore their nature could not be helped, even if one severely disagreed with it.
After the others spoke of their findings, the cleric offered his opinion, smiling slightly at Azarra before starting. "Yes, let us offer the wardrobe and finger collection to the Council as part of their 'cut'. I suspect they won't prefer to have a necromancer running about with the items, and might likely destroy them."
Once Quinn's room was thoroughly ransacked, Zane proceeded to help the others gather the loot and belongings of all the guild members they had killed or captured, turning it into a small pile of arms and armor and coinage, should they be carrying any. Afterwards, the priest got down to the business of their prisoners and allies.
"We should tie up those ones in the cells and march them into town with us. The Council might be able to garner information from them about the unconquered portions of Phlan. As for Natalia and Clara, perhaps a couple of us should go ahead of the others and introduce them as prisoners of the thieves held for blackmail?" Zane turned his vivid grin eyes to Natalia. "Lathander smiles on second chances, young woman. Make the best of yours." The priest looked to his companions for their thoughts on the matter.
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Ishta's eyes glow brightly at the sight of the spellbook. "Oh, this is a very valuable possession, and tells a lot about its owner's capabilities. We should read it carefully." She turns her eyes to Kardas. "Kardas also uses these. We should share it."
About the ethical matters, Ishta agrees that Natalia and Clara should be spared facing justice, at least for now. "Who knows, if in the future you feel like telling the truth, it might be easier after everyone has checked you're really set on changing your lifestyle. But that'l be up to you. Thos ones, though" she says pointing at the prisoners, "should be dealt with before they wake up and start to be a nuisance. I guess someone should go call the authorities that they come here and check the place is in order - and we can officially claim everything we cannot transport right now."
The paladin of Helm remains on guard during the looting. The gold elf's helmed face precludes any feeling concerning the prisoners; neither positive or negative.
Excellent idea, Zane.
Zane beamed at Azarra's praise as he prepared himself to go upstairs and finish their objective. Quinn had escaped, it seemed, but the primary goal had been attained. The Second Story Gang would no longer be a nuisance to the citizens of New Phlan.
The priest nodded in agreement with Ishta as she spoke to both their new allies and about the prisoners. Hopefully they had tied the women up well enough that they could spend a few minutes ransacking the upstairs area.
Azarra goes back upstairs (reminding everyone to be careful of the trapped steps), and checks on the prisoners. Then she suggests that they check Door R.
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After a small pause to catch breath, Ishta is willing to dispatch the rest of the house and return home for a fine glass of mead.
Azarra opens the door to find a room tiled wall to ceiling with glossy white tiles. There is a faint smell of old blood and iodine. Several fixtures in the wall securely attach four ever burning torches which provide a good light. In one corner are manacles and various other restraints but dominating the room is a large silvery metal table with a variety of leather restraints built into it. A small set of drawers in the corner contain a large array of scalpels saws and other medical instruments most of which you don't recognize.
Directing Helm's gaze around the room, Ser Armithia clears it of potential danger, prior to anyone entering.
Torture chamber?
Ishta has a quick look before moving on to another room.
Zane looked around the room with distaste, nodding his silent agreement with Azarra. Some of the stuff in here might be worth something, but who knew? If no one else wanted to linger, the priest was more than glad to leave the room behind and move on to the next one.
"Look, bone-setter tools. I recognize some of those as tools our horse whisperers use when their limbs and bones are beset by evil spirits. Surely a spirit talker like you, Zane, could use these? And wow, is that a star metal table? What crazy person would use such precious metal for a table and not for a sword or lance?!"
Once they have appraised the value of the things in the torturer's area, Azarra joins Zane as he restlessly moves on to the next door (Q?).
Ser Armithia stands ready with Zane and Azarra.
The door is unlocked and inside is a storage room containing several bales of hay piled up in the south end of the room. You notice a rat scurry away into the hay, but the room is otherwise unremarkable.
If they are sure that there is nothing in the storeroom, Azarra moves to the next door (P)?
After a cursory inspection, Zane is content to move on to the next door in their efforts to finish clearing out the beautiful home.
The knight continues to lead.