The front door is securely locked. Ilarien determines that there are several moderate auras inside, but can't determine much more than that.
The gnome raises a hand and waves at Isvindur, then goes back to reading his book.
Sara finds no entrances other than the front door and windows.
Sara breaks a window with her spear, and is able to unlatch the window. The gnome does not react at all.
Sara climbs into the broken window after clearing the glass away. It seems not to have drawn unwanted attention.
Once inside, she finds herself in a well-appointed study with the gnome, who continues to peruse his books, not paying attention to her.
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Ísvindur quickly pokes his head around the front of the house, "Sara has ... made entry." He waves the group to follow, then hustles through the window, not willing to let his pathfinder risk the gnome's house alone.
Once inside, he begins a slow circuit of the room, making his way over the gnome and ... if Fimbrik doesn't show any response to their presence ... poking him on the shoulder.
Some enter through the study window and open the front door for the others.
Upon leaving the non-responsive gnome in the study (who doesn't even respond when Isvindur pokes him in the shoulder), the group enters the living room.
A large sofa sits awkwardly near the entrance, facing toward the center of the room. Sets of chairs and tables are arranged throughout, and statues of grandiose gnomes occupy the corners of the room. A set of stairs at the northern edge of the chamber leads to an unused basement filled with stacked newspapers.
lack of dust on many surfaces, no one has been here for
years.
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Sven walks into the main room, giving the place a long, slow look. He eyes the statues and strange furniture arrangement, "Is this how all southlanders decorate their houses?"
Then, frowning, he steps over to the back of the couch, wiping it a few times. "This house is very clean." He holds up the finger, "No dust."
With a shrug, he considers the whole house, "We should search the whole place. IF we can't find Fimbrik, hopefully he will have left something we can use to learn about his part in this whole thing."
Ilarien stopes Isvindur from walking into a summoning circle...likely some kind of trap should intruders enter the home.
Aside from the study, there are two additional doors from the living room: double doors to the west, and a single door to the northeast.
Isvindur checks the double doors. Once opened, he sees a bed and desk occupying this room.
A gnome in a brightly-colored night cap sleeps peacefully in bed, while two muscle-bound men standing watch. None of them react when the door opens.
Ansha's magic reveals some illusion magic in this room. That, along with the fact that this gnome looks just like one in the next room, and that neither the gnome nor the guards react to any interaction, leads the group to believe these are illusions programmed by the home's occupant to scare off intruders.
Chortles finds the basement packed completely full of old newspapers, with hardly any room to get around.
Sara enters a chamber that contains enough chairs, pillows, and desks
to accommodate at least six visitors. The same gnome as the other rooms sits in a chair to read a newspaper. He smiles and gives a tip of his hat to Sara before continuing to read.
An examination of the table in the southwest corner reveals a neatly penned letter.
I’m not here anymore, and my house is filled with an incredible array of illusions
to discourage the curious. But you just had to break in. I respect your gumption and
assume you’re either a petty burglar or someone looking into Eylysia’s affairs.
I’ve left Absalom to look for my friend, for she’s been missing for some time; however,
I’ve attached the name of a particular Pathfinder you’ll want to investigate at the
Wall of Names at the Society Grand Lodge. I assure you, it’s quite important, but I’ll
leave you to figure out why.
Oh, and the password. It’s ‘Wiffle.’ You’ll find it important, should you learn where
to use it.
—The Illustrious Fimbrik
Underneath the letter is a hastily scrawled note in similar handwriting, which simply says "Hollis 'Evil Grin' Thorne."
Sara also discovers two potions sitting on the northwest windowsill.
The group identifies the potions as cure moderate wounds and lesser restoration.
Created in 4330 AR, the Wall of Names resides on the grounds of the Grand Lodge in Absalom. The monument is a curving wall of black glass that stands atop a small hill at the western edge of the lodge’s grounds. Trees surround the hill, providing ample shade and privacy
for those visiting the wall to remember fallen comrades.
Carved into the wall are the name and date of death of every Pathfinder killed in the course of duty since the wall’s construction, and most entries also include a sentence or two summarizing either the agent’s greatest accomplishments or how she died.
At the wall of names, the Pathfinders carefully examine the engraven names, in particular looking for the names they had encountered previously.
They find the following entries as they search:
Doulgonlir Caskmail, Deceased 4332 AR, Survived the horrors of
Nemret Noktoria. Returned to rot from the inside.
Hollis “Evil Grin” Thorne, Deceased 4331 AR, Fought up all but one step
of the Storval Stairs. Blade shattered at an inopportune moment.
Karina Clamp, Deceased 4330 AR, Enjoyed the many excesses of Katapesh.
Ended by a drug-induced hallucination.
Some of the words, curiously, seem to be underlined.
or religion):
portions of each inscription refer to failed aspirants.
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Once the three names have been found Ilarien stops and twirls a pen in one hand as she stares off into space. "That's interesting...the underlined parts appear to be references to three who tried the Test of the Starstone and failed. I suppose it would be too much to hope for that saying 'wiffle' here will open whatever it was that Fimbrik was talking about." She looks expectantly at the wall.
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Sara thinks for a moment, then digs through her pouch to retrieve a parchment which she scribbled the message which they obtained earlier from Arkath's coin and reads it aloud "The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more."
Sara rolls up the parchment and keeps it while musing aloud "This doesn't seem right...We have the names and the password...but the message refers to a nameplate? This is but a wall, is there anywhere we should be investigating?"
Voicing the word "Wiffle" does not seem to have any effect.