Next stop - per the Venture Captain - "Visit the offices of Osirian nobleman Dremdhet Salhar in the Wise Quarter. The Pathfinder Society needs to obtain permission to delve the Salhar ancestral vaults beneath Sothis. He has made a verbal agreement, and your visit makes it official. You will receive an official charter and detailed maps. Do not embarrass the Society in this matter." She does her best impression of the Venture Captain.
Uraisa backs further into the room, clutching tightly the ornate box of locks. With a stagger, Volta rips fee the silver dagger from the forlorned Imp, and stumbled into the room, visibly weakened and sweating from his poisonous encounter. Aryllan retains her vigil of sighting down an arrow shaft, ready to loose if the situation turns foul.
A quick glance to insure everyone is in position, and Robertus simultaneously releases the Imp and retreats from the necromantic pleasure parlor to the relative safety of the attached office.
Throwing your collective backs onto the door, it slams shut with a satisfying "thoomp" that only quality craftsmanship can active. The resounding sliding of the bolt can be herd, oddly enough, from the inside. A quiet moment later, a small scratching from the doors interior side draws your attention, followed by a small voice. Tell mistress I'm ready for my punishment if you see her. Take care of the box Pathfinders. Take care of the box . . .
The sounds of wailing tears and sadness now echo the room, where before there was destruction and mayhem.
Once outside in the fresh air again, you note that the time has turned to mid-afternoon. Just two or three hands of sunlight left before dusk.
A wan and drawn Volta looks over at Urasia and then Aryllan as they speak. He says in a somewhat tremulous voice, "Though time is short I think we must stop a moment at least to make ourselves or at least me more presentable to a nobleman." Shaking his head he says, "I don't know what difficulties he will present but I'm sure it will be something unusual. I wonder if it will be simple matter of communication or deeper, can anyone read legal documents of Osirian origin?" Turning to Robertus, he smiles and says, "Think nothing of it, you seemed to have your hands full of devilry". His smile broadens as he delivers this play on words but twists when he twitches involuntarily.
The journey from the Ivy district to the Wise Quarter is relatively short as they share a border. After a twenty minute walk the you reach a crossroads. Another twenty minute stroll should put you at the gates of the Osirion nobleman, or about a forty minute trek to the Grand Lodge in the heart of Ascendant Court.
As you make up your collective minds, there seems to be a buz in the air about a street festival being held tonight in Ascendant Court. A few vendors are preparing street carts to take their goods to the crowds, and an occasional passerby can be overheard conversing about a street performer or musician they are looking forward seeing.
"We do need to clean ourselves up. I wonder there are any cheap vendors selling some items we could use to make ourselves a little more snappy. Something like a sash or a scarf could go a bit in making us more presentable."
The group is standing at a major crossroads connecting not one, two or three, but four boroughs of Absalom. (The intersection of Ivy District, Wise Quarter, Ascendant Court and the Foreign Quarter)
These major thoroughfares are chockablock with vendors. Any reasonable item can be located and purchased at standard book prices within twenty minutes. Faster if you want to hurry.
If any of the other errands are any indication, it might take a while to get what we need once we get to the offices of Dremdhet Salhar. Not sure we could make it to the lodge then there and back in time.
Aryllan looks around at the vendors in the area. Perception check:
Looking for any vendors with medication / antidote for the Imp poison or a healer. Also checking to see if any vendors as Uraisa suggested "to make ourselves a little more snappy."
Looking for a scarf and some kind of wrap around for a more presentable to Dremdhet Salhar instead of the traveling cloths and armor that she has on.
Robertus pauses, looking at the vendors around and finds one selling some simple cloth for polishing. He then stops by a second vendor, and picks up some clean linen to clean skin and hair. He then takes a moment to shine his armor, taking care to get rid of any blood and dried mud. He uses the rest of the cloth to clean his face and hair. "Volta, could you shine up the back of my armor? Might as well make this visit look as official as possible."
After helping Robertus with his armor, Volta looks to take a cloth as well to freshen up when he spies a barber's establishment. Going over to it, he remarks, " Hail Goodman, a gold piece, if you can restore my appearance in a few minutes, an unfortunate encounter with some flour has distressed me." Inspired by a lavish tip, his clothes are brushed off and hair, face, and hands are quickly toweled off.
In the space of roughly three quarters of an hour, the group goes from battle-weary grunge to a cleaned up and respectable appearance. Short of a visit to a nobles taylor, a knight-lords personal armorer or a bath house, (not necessarily in that order), you Pathfinders have removed the grunge, blood, powder and sweat from your persons. The ladies look lovely with a few well placed pieces of bright colored cloth and a comb through their hair. The men cut a handsome profile with their garments brushed and belts and straps properly positioned. An added bonus is the Aryllan's powder makes a great polishing paste when mixed with clean water.
After a brief walk you make your way to the rich estate of Grand Councilmember Dremdhet Salhar. Reaching a tall wrought-iron gate you are greeted y a guard that is expecting you.
Once inside, the guard hands you off to a servant that says "This way please". You are lead down down well-decorated hallways, past expansive rooms. After a few minutes, the group arrives at a simple study near the end of a long hallway.
Master Salhar is not present, called away on important Council business, but his most trusted advisor is available to negotiate any business that you may require.
Inside the study a tan-skinned old man sits behind a desk flipping through pages in a large tome. Scraps of paper jut from the book marking over two dozen different places. As the group approaches the open door, the wise sage silently gestures your group into the study with one thin hand, while closing the tome with the other after finishing what he was reading.
Good day to you, Pathfinders. I am Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage, advisor to Master Salhar.
"Greetings, noble sage. I am Uraisa, and my friends and myself are here on business on behalf of the Pathfinder Society, in dealings with Master Salhar. We are to receive maps and a charter allowing the Pathfinders to delve the Master's vaults below Sothis. We wanted to thank the Master for his generosity and to cement the agreement. Great discoveries will no doubt be found because of this allowing by Master Salhar."
Diplomacy
Aryllan silently falls in behind Uraisa the diplomat and awaits the sage's response.
Amenopheus addresses Uraisa in a kind voice.
Well declared. You have a decidedly commanding way about you, for one of such a soft appearance.
He continues to the group
Good day to you, Pathfinders. I am Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage, advisor to Master Salhar. I understand you were sent here to discuss archaeological permissions. Knowing this was coming, I spoke with Master Salhar at length on the subject and have this to say.
Since Osirion was reopened to exploration a decade ago, adventurers, historians, and treasure-seekers flock to my country by the hundreds, perhaps thousands. While most families with ancestral burial vaults maintain guards and keep their sites out of the hands of casual thieves, not all families have the wealth or power to restrict everyone, and as we all know, not every defense is perfectly secure. Unscrupulous tomb robbers and maligned merchant organizations cause Osirion to bleed relics into the Inner Sea—something the descendents of Ancient Osirion cannot afford. We Osiriani have thousands of years of rich history coursing through our veins, and while that power has been out of focus in recent years, we are content to wait, knowing our enemies will wear themselves down. As they fall into arrogance, folly, or greed, we wait for our return to power, knowing we bear the riches of our ancestors at our feet.
Master Salhar remains impressed by the Pathfinder Society, orating in their favor a handful of times in front of Absalom’s Grand Council, in fact. Due to previous relationships between him and the Society, Master Salhar has agreed to grant permission to the Pathfinder Society to explore his family’s vaults below Sothis. The only thing he requires is that you retrieve the map of the vaults from his own vault here. The servant will lead you to the basement and show you the room.
The Sapphire Sage’s eyes twinkle as he smirks knowingly, then he turns back to reading his book as though he had never been disturbed.
Knowing when one has been dismissed, Aryllan bows, Thamk you for your time.
Uraisa turns and follows the group out of the office not taking a chance on offending the chap after the discussions had went so well.
After leaving Amenopheus’ study, the servant brings you back through the spacious estate, leading you down sturdy stone steps into the cool basement. Down a hallway, after a couple turns, your party ends up at a plain wooden door. The servant opens the door, gesturing to the room with a bow, and waits silently as if expecting you to enter.
Robertus' steely gaze scans across a plain stone room contains three chests: a copper-banded chest of smooth, dark wood; a red lacquered chest; and what looks to be a cube of solid steel. Behind the chests sits a low table holding a clear glass jar half full of liquid and a covered wicker basket.
The servant stands patiently with his arm gesturing through the open door.
Volta says nothing to the sage, still feeling the effects of the earlier fight, he gratefully watches as Uraisa does her diplomacy with her smooth, unassuming, style. He perks up at bit at the sages words though and seems to bounce on his feet when shown the room of chests. He moves towards the front of the door in a slightly rocking motion, his feet seeming to tap out a beat in time to some music in his head. His head shifts from side to side as the beat continues then his gaze sweeps over the doorway, the approach to the room, and into the room itself, lingering over each of the chests and the enigmatic cube and basket. His nose flairs as he opens his mouth and carefully draws in the scents.
"I do love a challenge, is this straight forward or some subtle riddle?
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Looking over the scene and using the taps to echo over the stone to notice any displacements that would indicate some secret area or other out of place item.
"Aryllan what do your keen senses tell you about this room, before I enter?"
Ary's eyes are as good mine, always have a second pair look, if possible. Volta muses as he looks, listens, and licks the air.
Volta's trap-finding senses may be in the early stage of of his carrier, but he certainly paid attention to his studies.
This room appears to be somewhat of a quandary. You do not any traps, hostel or otherwise, with the entrance way or footing. You do detect that the room seems to be build in a way that would facilitate sliding, moving or hinged panels.
Having said her piece, and hopefully done her part, Uraisa stood to the side as the more dextrous of the group began to search the room. Be careful! she thought, not wanting to utter a sound that could be a distraction.
Aryllan watches the way Volta bounces in place. This appears to be suited to his talents.
Aryllan glances back at the room, once Volta asks what she sees.
Perception check;
Robertus shrugs as he looks at the chests. "Well, I suppose we might as well go in." Robertus pauses as he looks at the room, then the servant. "Unless you happen to have the map?" He asks the servant.
Robertus shrugs as he looks at the chests. "Well, I suppose we might as well go in." Robertus pauses as he looks at the room, then the servant. "Unless you happen to have the map?" He asks the servant.
The servant remains silent and stoic, except for the briefest lip curl of a smile at Robertus' query. His head indicates an amused "no", as he watches the Pathfinders enter the room.
Once inside, the servant shuts the door saying You have been allotted thirty minutes. From the other side, you hear a heavy bolt as he locks it behind you. Written on the back of the door is this message: “Within these cases lies your quest and your way out.”
This plain stone room contains three chests: a copper-banded chest of smooth, dark wood; a red lacquered chest; and what looks to be a cube of solid steel. Behind the chests sits a low table holding a clear glass jar half full of liquid and a covered wicker basket.
tick tock . . .
Uraisa starts to ponder the task. "Open all the crates. Let's see what we can figure out and what we have to deal with."
Volta cautiously enters as does everyone else, when the servant closes the door and traps them inside. As usual I'm a freaking fool, of course you should assume treachery on the part of your host! The room is the trap. Now is the map in the room at all, in wall or a secret safe? Or outside with the idea of escaping? Or even in one of the chests?"
"Everyone assume nothing, this room is build with sliding doors and other ways to change it. It is a trap in itself. Watch your footing it could change in a second! I'll look at the chest in a sec but first the walls and floors and door."
Volta examines the floors to see if they are about to be pitfalled or otherwise inconvenienced. He checks the walls carefully, tapping when necessary to see where hallows may be. He checks the door to see if there may be a way to open it from this side.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Then he looks over the chests, one at a time for traps or locks or both, he check the table the bowl of liquid (not assuming it is water) is on to see if anything is out of place.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Volta asks Urasia, "Can you sense any magic in this room? Thank you."
Volta does not touch anything until he has looked it over very carefully.
This may be a puzzle for us, rather than a trap but I cannot take that chance.
Uraisa nods at Volta. "Good thinking," she agrees, and quickly updates her Detect Magic spell, looking for any auras around the items in the room.
Robertus takes out his Guisarme, and taps the flat of the blade against the steel cube. He listens to see if the cube is hollow.
While Volta looks at the room as the trap / puzzle, Aryllan listens for any clicking or indications that the room will change. She also looks around to see if the steel cube would fit anywhere to stop any traps from being put into motion.
Perception Check
Starting with the wicker basket, this 2-foot-round basket requires no key to open, its lid resting gently atop its wide rim. Inside, a blue stone key rests atop a pile of crumpled linens.
*-> You detect, just barley, that there is a slithering movement of a coiled creature just under cloth, awaiting to strike.
Moving to the glass jar you see it's gallon-sized made of clear glass and is about half full with clear liquid. At the bottom of the vessel sits a jeweled brass key.
*-> Although the liquid is clear and appears to be harmless water, you catch a faintest scent that you know from your training means it's actually some form of corrosive acid.
Next is the copper-banded chest. It appears to be well made and solid.
*-> Your skills tell you that the chest appears to devoid of traps.
Last is the steel chest. This steel cube has only the faintest crack where its lid meets the base, and would be completely featureless save for its narrow keyhole.
*-> This chest also appears to not be trapped.
Calming yourself and allowing the wizard nature of your spell to excite you senses, your eyes detect the unmistakable aura of enchantment from the steel chest, the copper-banded chest and lastly a faint glow from the center of the celling.
22 of 30 minutes remain.
Hurry pathfinders, hurry . . .
The Mage quickly informs the others what her enhanced vision has shown her. She then waits before doing anything else, trusting in the young human to ply his trade and give advice as to how to proceed.
Robertus looks at the young thief. "There isn't anything to protect you guys from or look intimidating for. Volta, what do you need me to do?"
"Could all the chests be a distraction, and the magic in the ceiling be the real key," Uraisa suggests. "Maybe we stack the table and chests on top so we can get up there?"
Volta seems in a deep trance looking over everything. When Uraisa delivers her statement, he starts and says, " Oh ... Ah good then ... So I did not detect mundane traps on the chests then but there is a slithering creature under that basket there and that bowl of supposed water is a clear acid." Volta expands on his description.
"Perhaps the more marital among us might deal with the creature in whatever manner suits them." Volta frowns as he stares at the bejewelled key saying, "Brass is often used in acid traps, mom says its because acid can't eat through it, but gems, though noble, oft change color if bathed in acid, and glues would break almost at once, there is something odd here. Uraisa can you tell the nature of the magic you see?" Volta does a swift study of the chests looking for tiny runes or arcane patterns woven into on the design at to tell if his trapfinder/breaker abilities see if he can do something.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
Responding to the Bob and Uraisa he says, "If you would deal with the likely snake in the basket, that would be good. Hmm, how high is that ceiling anyway Uraisa?
As the group discusses the situation, Volta gives another look'see for any runes. the only ones he finds are the glowing amber runes around the keyhole of the red laquered chest.
All told the pondering, conversing and observing took four minutes.
"Alright. I can take care of a snake...anyone have any ideas of how to remove the jeweled key from the jar?"
Robertus simply nods, taking a moment to look at the wicker basket before taking the Guisarme and using it as a 10 foot pole, the flat of the blade attempting to knock the wicker basket off the table, he will then proceed to stab the scaled thing that comes out of it.
Uraisa, ever studious, takes a mental note that the ceiling is fifteen feet above floor level.
Aryllan unsure of the nature of the room, looks around again.
Perception check looking for some answer to getting the keys. Or finding where the hidden piece may be.
Robertus skillfully knocks the wicker basket off the table and onto the floor. The contents spill out, includiung a tiny green viper! The poisonous snake looks to lash out at the nearest warm body, hissing and spitting venom. Robertus' claver ploy to warn people back and use his guisarme for extended reach pays off. Stricking first, he schewers the snake to the floor, and with a twist of the blade it's sliced in twain.
All that's left of the fast exchange is a dead snake, crumpled linens and a blue stone key.
Meanwhile, Aryllan is struggling to find ways of her own to get at another key. Looking at the jar of acid, she is certain the glass would shatter if hit, or pushed to the floor. Beyone that, she has no knowledge of what, if any, adverse effects would result for that action.
"Thanks, Robertus, that's handy. Urasia, there are amber runes glowing around the keyhole of the red chest, I don't think they are a trap, more likely a locking spell, but could you determine that exact magic involved safely, please? Now let us measure this key." Volta takes his ordinary lockpicks out and measures the blue key, of the keyhole's he had seen which is the most likely of them for the this key to fit, usably?
Perception
Go to that keyhole and use the blue key if he determines where it goes. Unlock and open, carefully, whatever it is, unless its the door out.
"Good ideas about the key in acid? No, just some bad ones, if I had a little more time..." About the half full bowl of acid with the key, is it a tall and narrow bowl or broad and flat? Is the key really inside it or is it under it and an (non-magical) illusion that it's inside?
If there is anything inside something he opens check it out.
Perception +1 to roll if there is a trap.
I can't be two places at once; oh Aryllan is looking at the bowl, good.
Are some of the masterwork lockpick tools made of brass, bronze, or other materials? If the immersion was short( about a minute) would they deteriorate quickly or last a while?
Aryllan, can you please tell me if that brass key, has a loop or hole, so it could be placed on a keychain?
I am going to need to pick up the pace soon, there is still the ceiling magic and the escape from the room to deal with.
Robertus takes a minute or so to make sure nothing else hides amongst the linens, then, if he finds nothing, picks one of them up. "What if we soaked up the liquid in the jar with the linens?"
As Volta places the blue stone key into the copper-banded chest, he . . . .
-->
After asking Aryllan a few question, she can provide the following information;
14 of 30 minutes remaining. Tickety Tockety.
"Votla, those look like enchantment runes to my eye. Bet the trap will try to charm or hypnotize you," Uraisa guesses at the possible results from the magic school.
Robertus quickly puts all but one of the linens back into the basket, then takes the basket over and sets it back onto the table. He then takes a quick moment to steady his hands, and pours the jar of acid into the basket filled with linens, leaving the wet, jeweled key sitting on top. He then takes the one, dry linen off the table, and retrieves the key with it, using that linen to dry it. Once he has retrieved and dried the key, he empties the now-acidic linens into the jar, so this way the acid doesn't completely ruin the floor. "I wonder which key this goes to?"
Volta puts the key into the lock.
Will
Need to keep moving ahhgh I failed to see that trap I thought it was a locking spell ...
Volta awaits his fate.
[ooc] nice trick Robertus, Aryllan was just going to kick it to the floor or ask if Uraisa could neutralize it with magic. [ooc]
Aryllan looks at Robertus with new admiration. Great thinking
She looks back to Volta waiting for the chest to open.
Robertus' slow and methodical approach to the acid jar pays off. The mildly corrosive liquid liquid is transferred from the jar to the linens, the key removed, and the soaked linens placed into the jar. This of course, ruins the basket as it slowly deteriorates form its contact with the acid. Wiping off the jeweled brass key with the lenin, you can feel the slight sting of the acid, but the cloth protects you from any damage. Excellent well done!
Robertus now has a jeweled brass key.
Aryllan continues to observe Volta as he places the key into the copper-banded chest. He turns the key and . . . .
nothing.
No unlocking. No trap. Not a single thing. In fact, it's a complete lack of anything.
Three minutes gone. One new key obtained. No chest opened.
11 of 30 minutes remaining.
Aryllan looks at the puzzle of chests. Then at the Ceiling.
Perception Check the ceiling to determine if there is anything actually there or is that the trap that will spring down on all our heads?
Perhaps all three locks need to be turned at the same time for them to open. Or can we move one of the chests over to determine what the magic in the ceiling is?