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Tarra does not see something unusual around. After about half an hour a tall elven woman approaches your table. "Hello, my name is Madame Zelekhati. I'm the owner of this business. I hope everything is fine?"
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Rogar notices Zelekhati's nervousness and decides to confirm his suspicions:"I'd say so my lady. All is fine... although I guess I would enjoy this fine wine a bit more while walking through your lush garden. Care me to join for a little stroll?" he finishes while starting to move towards the garden and motioning for the others to follow
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"Of course, Sir. Please follow me."
The ring has the meld with stone feature
You identify that it is a ring of elemental command.
You notices the garden’s patterns shifting subtly.
A roughly 5-footwide patch of sand seems to be moving about the surface, leaving behind new patterns as it travels.
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Rgar actually manages to blush as he realizes he forgot to properly greet the lady:"Many apologies milady. This was an unforgivable breach of etiquette on my part: my name is Rogar of House Valertis, from the land of Taldor, as for my companions I would never presume to speak for them but I'm sure they'll be more than willing to part with that information just for the radiance of your smile" concludes Rogar while bowing deeply.
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"Well... let us say we are tasked to find out how... you do your business. By someone who seems to spend his days in a bathtub. For simplicys sake... I think you are a shrewd enough businesswoman to have a satisfying answer. A "HONEST" answer. That will give this bather plenty of time to hunt for a "golden" goose."
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With her silver tongue Akiko is able to retrieve a secret information from Zelekhati. She tells you that she has a ring of elemental command. With this ring she can control a sandman which resides in the gardens and listens to her orders. This sandman hides in the sand and can listen to the guests without being spotted by anybody. At the end of a day Zelekhati communicates with the sandman silently to retrieve the information.
Zelekhati never heard about a man who spends his days in a bathtube. She does not know Torch exists.
"But please don't tell my secret to anybody. I might get problems with the authority in this city." Zelekhati asks you.
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"hmm. Might work... or not. We were supposed to find out how you do this, and stop you from doing it any more, or find someway to make you share your information with Torch... How about this, pick a pitcher or carafe of good make, preferably some valuable material like silver or something. We'll tell Torch that you serve the guests you want information from, using this pitcher. It uses magic to make them tell you their secrets, a charm or somesuch. Start sending little tidbits of the info you find to him, just enough to convince him your sincere. Then you can use that from then on as you see fit. False info or true partnership is up to you. He won't know your real secret, and you can use that to your advantage... mostly depends on how good he really is, versus how good you can be at bluffing and lying...."
Shrugging Tarra takes another sip of her juice.
" Just couldn't countenance him getting away with everything he does..."
Pausing to think for a moment..
" Heck, the Society might be interested in helping you out as well. If you can convince him of your sincerity, he might...direct you to who he wants info from, and by tracking that, they might gain advantage on him, like knowing what he's after and such..."
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"Your idea might be better. Your friend must understand that dealing with information is a big part of my income. I can't and won't stop doing it. But I'm willing to exchange information with him. Bit by bit. Bluffing and lying is not an issue, believe me. Tell him to meet me, obviously he knows already where to find me." Zelekhati answers to Tarra's suggestion. "Reports to the Society are also ok, as a sign of good will for keeping my secret a secret."
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"Yes, I am." Torch says looks at one of the half-orc guards. The half-orc leaves the room and returns with several pieces of paper.
"The maps are here. Now, tell me what you found out and show me the rod."
-Posted with Wayfinder
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You hand the rod over to Torch and tell him what you found out about Zelekhati. Of course not the real truth, but the story about a magic pitcher. Torch fullfills his part of the bargain by giving you several old maps.
One is a map of Osirion, clearly marking Eto and an unnamed site to the north. The second map has a much smaller scale and marks the route between Eto and the mystery location. The last sheet has a charcoal drawing that depicts two large rock outcroppings connected by a smooth wall with a single gate. It is entitled "Seeker’s Folly" and signed "V.L."
"Those will take you where you want to go. Deviate from the path only if you know what you’re doing. Otherwise, stick to the landmarks." Torch says after you picked up the maps. "Normally this is where I would say ‘pleasure doing business with you.’ However," he adds with a grisly grin, "I’m going to throw you something extra for free — just because I’m such a caring individual. You’re not the only ones who know about that site. I hear a group of foreigners set out from Totra not too long ago and are after the same prize. Sounds like there’s no time to waste."
"No, I don't have to do anything with this. I was just informed that there is another group trying to reach the same destination." Torch answers to Rogar's question.
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You got the maps from Torch and you know where to go. It is already dark and you find accommodation in Eto and are ready to leave the city the next day early morning.
A new day dawns in the Osirian trade city of Eto only hours following the meeting with Grandmaster Torch. In exchange for a handful of services, he delivered several maps and sketches of landmarks that collectively point the way to the last known resting place of one or more sage jewels—enchanted gems capable of storing memories of Osirion’s past and reviving the Sapphire Sage Amenopheus’s order. "Those will take you where you want to go," Torch declared while handing over the maps. "Deviate from the path if you know what you’re doing." As an afterthought, he added, "You’re not the only ones who know about that site. I hear a group of foreigners set out from Totra not too long ago and are after the same prize. Sounds like there’s no time to waste."
You have several items left over from their adventures in Eto, including half of a weathered geode, a magical sending stone they can use to contact Amenopheus. When he gave it to you, he informed them that it can transmit a message of several dozen words, to which he can then respond, but the stones will only work once; he requested that you only use it when they have found one of the sage jewels. Hhe also gave you a field notebook containing helpful tricks for translating Ancient Osiriani and understanding the Jeweled Sages’ written codes.
Grandmaster Torch gave you two maps of Osirion and a charcoal drawing. The first map clearly marks Eto and an unnamed site to the north. The second map has a much smaller scale and illustrates a winding route marked with many landmarks between Eto and the mystery location, though it’s clear that traveling in a straight line would be a faster, if more difficult, trip. An oasis is marked on this map near the final destination, and notes describe a marker stone nearby whose shadow at sunset points toward the ruins. The charcoal drawing depicts two large rock outcroppings connected by a smooth wall with a single gate. The drawing is entitled “Seeker’s Folly” and signed “V.L.”.
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Grandmaster Torch’s route takes the PCs through the Osirian Desert and into the region known as the Sahure Waste. After a few hours you reach an oasis.
The oasis shimmers like a sapphire in the midday heat. Life clings around its edges tenaciously, with only a few hardy plants nestled amid the rocks managing to survive in patches around the area. Finches bathe in the water, resting on an abandoned harness. Trash and castoffs from travelers litter the area, and a small brick hearth is the only permanent fixture.