Tarask leads you outside and then north through the badly neglected ornamental garden past a shed you haven't explored and a door to the north which he explains leads to the main foyer. Nobody tries to stop you as you head towards the master's quarters and the twin doors stand ajar. Inside the decor is clearly of a much higher standard although sadly neglected and defaced by the gnolls.
Tarask tells you, "Take the middle entrance to the north, turn right, second left and there's the Master's lounge. There should be a large wall hanging on the eastern wall, behind which is a door leading to the store. I doubt they've managed to open it, it's magically keyed to certain trusted people."
Shield up and sword ready, the Paladin takes the lead.
Ugh. What is that smell? ... Nevermind. I don't want to know.
Knowing they haven't taken care of everything behind them, Azarra stays in the back, keeping watch to make sure nothing is approaching from the rear.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Before the group headed deeper into the complex where they would hopefully gain the skeleton key Tarask had spoken of, the priest paused the group for just a moment, calling upon Lathander and then touching each of the ladies lightly on the shoulder. A pink glow briefly surrounded them before it died away, though Zane was aware that the God had favored them with some of his divine protection.
Wrinkling his nose, the cleric agreed with the half-elf's assessment. "Let's get on with it.
Tarask leads you past the Master's bedroom which he notes with disgust has been trashed. The once fine four poster bed has been ripped to shreds and used as a bed/lattrine, giving off a pungent stench of gnoll and worse. There is a chest in front of the bed but weirdly it contains what looks to be a human scalp completed with long braided auburn hair.
Tarask examines this before seeming to tear up and wiping it away. "I'd recognise that hair anywhere, Marissa, the Master's estranged wife. They must have killed her."
Ser Armithia stares hard at the skull before continuing.
Azarra pauses long enough to make sure that it really is a scalp and not just a wig, and then continues after the group.
The chamber adjoining the bedroom is a sitting room which is largely untouched apart from a few suspicious stains on the carpet. A layer of dust has settled on everything and you can see your footprints. The wall to the east is dominated by a faded tapestry of a giant tree in which pixies, dryads and other fae lurk, clearly a masterwork but marred by a long brown stain.
The Paladin stands before the Tapestry and touches it.
It is haunted. Zane, if you please? Azarra, it may cease if cleaned properly?
You think that will help? Okay. I'll try it.
Azarra very carefully casts prestidigitation and mending, trying to clean the stain but keep the original tapestry intact, and maybe even lessen the fading so it can be fully restored. It takes a little while because she has to be really careful and cast both spells several times. Even magic requires a gentle touch in a case like this.
Ser Armithia invokes Helm's blessing and a pulse of holy light bathes the area. At almost the same moment an arctic blast of wind entirely at adds with the warmth of the day rips through the room, causing the tapestry to flap like crazy.
Small objects whirl around in a hail storm just as Azarra completes her first casting, which causes some of the stain to fade. Likewise the Helm blessed light burns away a little bit more but stains can be stubborn and roughly half still remains.
The arctic wind howls into a storm of biblical proportions inside the small room sending objects large and small flying at lethal speeds along with jagged bits of ice and hail. Everyone gets hit by debris of smashed chairs but the wounds are for the most part relatively light.
<--- PASS
<--- PASS
<--- PASS
<--- PASS
<--- PASS
Trying not to be knocked down by a blast of wind or some loose object, Ishta helps Azarra cleaning and restoring the tapestry. "You clean it, I fix it!"
Azarra nods at Ishta and continues to clean the tapestry while Ishta repairs it, coordinating with her so that they are restoring it rather than ruining it.
The Paladin stands resolutely in the ice storm.
Zane withstood the worst of the sudden arctic blast, teeth chattering at the sheer ferocity of the elements coming from the tapestry. Whatever happened here must have been awful, and from the priest's understanding it was. Human pillagers were bad enough, but humanoids that were barely more than animals could bring misery to another level.
The cleric extended his arm, gritting his teeth as he infused the area with Lathander's holy energy, trying to cleanse the aura from the area and allow peace to settle in.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ser Armithia once more invokes the blessing of Helm and his touch wipes away much of the remaining stain. Zane then cries the holy name of Latahndar for aid and a rosey wave of holy light bathed the area burning away the last of the stain. As suddenly as it started the supernatural vanished and calm descended once more.
Looking a bit shell-shocked, Tarask muttered, "Marissa abhorred a mess, I doubt she'll be able to rest with the bedroom in a state like that. Anyway lets get this done..."
He strode towards the tapestry and gently lifted it up and chuckled, "Take a look at this, it seems they tried to get in!". He lifted the tapestry up further revealing a nondescript grey metal door. It and the floor and walls around it bear marks that suggesting it's been attacked with a sledge hammer and possibly chisels although they where unable to get through.
Tarask placed his hand on the door and it pulsed with a dull radiance before silently sliding open at his touch revealing a dusty store room. Tarask turned round to warn you, "The master had an air elemental bound to guard this room. I believe I can enter safely but I have no idea how it will react if try to withdraw something... If you enter it will attack immediately. Let me try and get the key."
Sounds good. Perhaps, it would be a good idea to leave the Guardian active.
Zane nodded at Cadorna's man, not eager to engage with something made of air. Instead, he turned about and kept a watch for the rest of the gnoll inhabitants in case they decided to regroup and attack the companions as they lingered in the area.
We can clean it up for her, Tarask. We want her to be able to rest.
Azarra casts unseen servant and has it go about tidying the room. When it is done, she'll clean and mend anything that can be salvaged.
Azarra sensed that Tarask was telling the truth, but she didn't trust "The Master" at all, and has a deep distrust of the man who seems like his lapdog, not because he seems inherently evil, but because he seems so loyal that he would carry out evil instructions out of a misguided sense of loyalty. She allows him into the room, hoping he can find whatever key is needed, but also stands in the doorway, watching him closely.
Having no spell in her arsenal that allows a magic spying of what's inside, Ishta just has to accept that forcing an entrance would be seen... well, as an intrusion. Leaving the Cadorna's servant alone is not too much of her taste, but she has no choice.
Tarask nods and heads in and starts a methodical search moving things towards the entrance. He hope boxes in turn where you can see them and opens them, explaining "The contents have been reorganized since I was last in here and that way years ago. I'll recognise the box when I see it but for now I've just got to put some elbow grease in..."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Zane looked on with interest, his eyes narrowing as the man repeatedly went out of sight. "Hey, what else are you opening in there? Don't be stingy, friend, we're all in this together." He chuckled, thinking the man was likely just collecting a little of his master's loot for himself while he performed the main task of searching for the key.
The Knight grins.
Hey Tarask, please bring those boxes up here so we can see what you are doing. I'd hate to make you uncomfortable by searching you afterward, so might as well just be open about it. We're happy to give you some of the loot after we total it all up.
Tarask doesn't answer immediately and you hear a soft sound like a bag being closed before he comes into view carrying an ornate box bound in what appears to be bands of mithril.
Sounding tired he tells you, "I'm afraid everything in here is the property of the Cardona family and I'm under strict instructions to allow nobody to interfere with its contents. However Councillor Cardona has authorised substantial payment for yourselves which the key inside here will unlock, I don't think he'll mind if I give it to you."
With that he produces a small brass key which he had attacked to a cord worn like a necklace and uses it to unlock the box. Within the plush salmon colored silk cushioned interior rests an electrum and garnet key. He removes this and tosses it to Azarra saying, "Here this opens the door we found earlier, and most others in the compound. Now I'd appreciate it if you'd allow me to secure this room..."
Ishta is too curious, specially coming from their enemy's servant. "We're not to interfere with the contants, of course. We just want to know them" she says. "Mind you, we're risking our lives here, so we think it's only fair we know the exact details of what's in that bag. When my existance is at stakes, I tend not to like nasty surprises." She starts casting a spell to detect whether there's something magic in the bag. "We mean no harm, just a second..."
Tarask states flatly, "It contains property of Councillor Cardona. Nothing dangerous, or illegal, but I'm afraid you'll have to take my word for that because you are not authorised to inspect it".
Ser Armithia turns his gold helmeted head toward the servant.
All are under Helm's eye!
Seeking to de-escalate the tension, the priest asked. "Well friend, the key is nice and all, but where is the substantial payment it will unlock?" With that, Zane went back to keeping watch to allow the manservant to finish his work.
Pulling Azarra aside, he whispered, "How hard would it be for you to lift something off him?"
Whispering back to Zane, Azarra says There's a chance, but I've studied much more bard related skills than thief related skills, so it would be a fairly low chance, unfortunately... plus, I think he is hiding more than one thing.
Physically blocking his way, Azarra says
Listen Tarask, I haven't seen any reason to think you are a bad guy, and I understand that you are loyal to your master, but he doesn't like us, and there is an amazingly good chance that he could get us into a lot of legal trouble and blame it on us if the city doesn't get its fair cut. I wouldn't put it past him to set us up for that on purpose in fact. And Ishta is right. Our lives are on the line. If you had been up front with us, we'd be happy to trust you, but you're sneaking around trying to hide things from us after we risked our lives to get you in here. There is no way that we're just taking your word. Either hand it over, or trigger whatever defenses Cardona told you to turn on us... I'm assuming he doesn't want us to leave here alive. If you don't cooperate though, I am pretty sure you won't either.
"He wants nothing of the sort." replied Tarask stiffly, "Mostly he wants the family heirlooms. Art objects before you get all suspicious, not weapons or anything nefarious. Anyway I see that you have made your position clear. I can make my own way back, good bye."
He slaps a lever you couldn't see and suddenly the door slams shut, locking him away from you.
Ser Armithia shrugs.
Well, that escalated quite quickly. Now, what?
Quickly, Ishta tries to find out an alternate, probably hidden exit.
Ishta doesn't detect any secret doors in this area.
Sorry guys, probably shouldn't have bluffed him like that. Anyway, he's going to get himself killed if we leave him here. If there were a secret way back to Phlan, I'm guessing that Cadorna would have used it to get in there himself.
As tempting as it is to go home and leave him to his fate, and as much as I know doing anything for Cadorna is going to come back and bite us, I suppose we should clear out the rest of this place just for the sake of Phlan and reclaiming the city. Then if Tarask is still around and needs help, we're close by, and if he finds another way home, then we'll just have to deal with whatever Cadorna is up to at that point. No use worrying about it now.
Ser, would you like to lead the way? ... pick a direction. Let's clear the whole place out properly.
Ser Armithia nods in agreement to Azarra.
There is a structure in the courtyard that needs to be investigated. Then enter the main foyer?
Azarra nods. Everyone in, or are there other ideas?
"Yes. We might find some useful info, also."
You approach the outhouse from the north, this one story building appears to be a much neglected gardner's shed. Like the rest of the compound Its walls are whitewashed brick, flaking but still serviceable. The windows are large but so dirty you can't see through them.
The Paladin takes a stance in front of the door.
Sounds like it is occupied.
Azarra sets up 30 feet away so she has time to shoot anyone coming out, if anyone makes it past Ser.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ishta followed the rest of the group. When Azarra warns them about other presences being around, Ishta invokes a soft wind that carries their words directly to reach other's ears.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Zane shrugged as Tarask shut himself up in the secret room, nodding agreement to Ser Armithia. As Zamanda said, there was nothing to do but clear everything out and make sure the manservant made it back safely, so the priest followed with the others to the structure the gold elf led them to.
When Ishta cast the spell upon the group, the priest whispered, "Us three up front and the ladies in the back to rain down spells and arrows?"
The Watchers of Dawn get into position and Zane and Ser Armithia simultaneously kick the doors down to reveal a pair of gnolls lurking within! One of them is lanky brute with two short swords and the other is a cleric of some sort with a mace made from a human skull!
Kardas Rasalas <----- WE ARE HERE
Zane Levallis
Gnoll
Gnoll Cleric
Ser Armithia-Seendren
Azarra
Ishta Khosiv
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Ser Armithia grins.
You boys 'bout done in there? Got a line forming.