The door opens into a new room. In the center of this room is a large pool of clear water, fed by a fountain on the wall above it. The fountain has a stone statue of a weeping maiden holding the slain body of Kassen, but his head has been broken off and is nowhere to be seen. A voice booms out from the darkness, saying, "Magic is the key." The voice slowly fades, leaving a dreadful silence.
Upon entering the room you find a door leading east that opens into the entryway. A door to the southeast is locked. The pool itself appears to be about 40 feet deep and resting at its bottom are 100 keys, all seemingly identical.
Cotton immediately starts casting her cantrips, scanning the room for magic and summoning lights for everyone to see by.
"Lemme just see which key," the little Gnome mutters as she cautiously circles the pool, pulling Moira behind her with one hand. "Back me up, okay? Back me up..."
One of the keys at the bottom of the pool does detect as magic. Though explaining which one will prove a challenge unless you intend to swim down yourself.
"Hmph!" Cotton huffs. "Got it. Now I just..."
Cotton first drops a bit of fabric and a crumb of cheese in the pool to make sure it's only water; if her test if positive, she drops her pack and strips off her outer clothing, then splashes into the pool. "Sassy, you stay on the shore!" she orders before diving down. "You'll only strip off too much. Dyrm, you come with me. Moira and Vera, you keep watch."
Provided everyone is alright with that, Cotton takes a deep breath and swims down.
"Oh no you don't," Moira says easily picking her up off the ground before she can dive in. "Stay," she orders as she sets her own pack down and grabs a length of rope. She then ties it securely around the little gnomes waste and braces her foot on the ledge around the pool giving Cotton a nod. She didn't feel comfortable doing this but when Cotton got that look in her eye, little could persuade her.
Sa'sori's eye's widen in mild affront, "I don't need to undress... I have .. and can dry myself immediately after getting out of the water you ninny-girl. And you did not listen to what was said... the voice said 'Magic is the Key'... not 'The Key is Magic'!"
Sa'sori walks over to within 10'ft the south door and first calls forth her Hawk familiar.. the artistic tattoo of the flame-red hawk separates from her open back silken ceremonial gown and perches on her shoulder.
Then Sa'sori casts at the door to 'shine' the handle... to see if the door reacts.
As usual when Sa'sori cast her spells her facial, chest & shoulder, arm, and leg tattoos glow briefly a reddish hue as her arcane power flows visibly across her skin.
"I'm sure it must be convenient to have magic that is compact and fits inside your petite body ... but my magic manifests on my skin for all to see. If I were to cover up my clothing would either catch afire from the arcane energies emitted from my tattoos or my spells would simply fail! I've tried wearing more durable covering clothing.. but then my magic does not work at all. You think I like having boorish men ogle me all the time... just so I can use my magic? At least with my magic I can command some respect~ eventually.. for even the dullest mind must respect power! It's what makes the world go round."
The doors handle glows, but is otherwise unchanged.
"You sure gave the halfling a good view," Moira says just load enough for Sa'sori to hear. And just before the half-elf can retaliate she continues. "I'm sorry. Look, can we please not do this? We are wasting time," she says reminding Sa'sori of her earlier comment. "Besides, the voice said the Magic is the Key which could also mean The Key is Magic. Unless you have a better idea..."
After a pause. "And yes. Sometimes I do think you like it." And sometimes I envy that, she thought but that one was staying firmly in her mind.
Sa'sori, stiffens her cheeks and long delicate ears turning a fetching shade of blush.
But as opposed to getting angry she lowers her head and mutters, 'I said I was sorry... that was an accident.'
She visibly blanches at Moria's next words... then sighs, "I'm sorry... I don't mean to be all prickly, but I'm tired of this place... I want out of this town and as far away from the as possible. To finally have my own life, my own~... I have very limited magical resources and I'm antsy to get at this undead ...whatever and be done! I .. don't mean to snap at anyone."
At Moria's final words... Sa'sori falls silent and turns slowly away to hide the shame-filled expression on her lovely features as she wraps her arms about herself... to fight off the painful, demeaning memories of her time 'earning' her Apprenticeship in the Temple of Callistra, only to be sent to the even more abusive Master' .
She whispers to herself,
Sa'sori pulls her travel cloak about her closely and its hood up to hide her face and steps away from the party - closer to the south door.. silent for several seconds, while Cotton prepares for her dive into the pool.
Silently she directs her spell to clean the door handle in case there is some contact poison or some such on it. Then she softly cast a ... which causes her cloak to smoke a bit as it is covering her almost head to toe.
She scans the door for magic... trying to focus on doing something so she won't cry or weep... as unbidden memories assault her mind.
She will pan her detection cone about the room to locate any and all magic in the room.
Then she will casts and try to open the door... at a distance of 10'ft and not directly in front of the door either.
She remains silent keeping to herself and casually pats out the smouldering fumes of her cloak's contact with her arcane tatoos concealed beneath...
Her hawk familiar perches on her shoulder trying to get her attention perhaps nuzzle at her cheek... but her hood keeps her face unreachable and she ignores his efforts to comfort her.
"I wonder what role the statue's head plays in this puzzle?" Vera muses. "If it had simply broken off it would still be here." Vera is going to examine the broken statue.
Moira felt a pang of guilt as Sa'sori turned away. She knew she hit a nerve but she couldn't bring herself to feel too bad. Not when the jealousy was almost just as bad. She saw the way men looked at her. Part of it was the outfit. Okay a lot of it was the outfit. But she had also seen the flirtatious looks, the exaggerated sway of the hips, the pout. She projected an aura of sensuality and sexiness. Men were putty in her hands.
But she didn't know how bad it was. Most of that was as ingrained into Sa'sori as moving stealthily was to Moira. It was habit, and it was a hard one to break. Maybe it was time to stop seeing only what she wanted to see and instead, what was truly there. She didn't have the childhood Moira did, that much she knew. But Sa'sori didn't like to talk about it. And they didn't have time to do it now. There were people to save and necromancy to stop.
Dyrm keeps his focus on Cotton
Cotton emerges from the water safely with a key in hand. Sa'sori, your mage hand finds the door remains locked. Vera your search for the statues head turns up nothing in this room.
Sa'sori shrugs,
She turns to regard the missing head and asks out of the blue,"...does anyone know...specifically if body is actually interred somewhere in this mausoleum? The missing head ...seems ... a personal affront. Perhaps his remains have also been... disturbed?"
Any of you who grew up here would know that Kassen is indeed interred her.
"Ha!" Cotton says as she emerges, dripping water, from the pool, and she waves the key in the air. "Got it! Look at -- what're you all looking weird at each other for? Sassy, catch!"
The little Gnome tosses Sa'sori the key and goes about putting her clothes and gear back on.
"Can't take a swim without you long-legs having angst," she mutters under her breath.
Sa'sori catches the key without any comment and any expression she might have is concealed by the hood of her cloak.
First she examines the key magically as her detect magic is still running. There were not other magical energies in the room... so she was not sure where the voice came from and not even the door they were trying to open was magical... so she was immediately suspicious!
A magic aura has been placed on the key attuning it to a specific arcane lock. The door also detects as magic, that can be identified as an arcane lock spell.
Satisfied, Sa'sori turns to the party, face still concealed... "Position yourselves... before I open the door."
The feisty half-elf draws her elven curveblade in one hand... ready to drop the key, as needed, to heft the weapon in defense.
She gestures for Moira and Vera to take opposite sides of the door in preparation to enter after she to unlocks and opens the door.
---
Once everyone is positioned she fits the key to the lock and opens the door...
The key slides into the keyhole and will not turn. It would seem this key does not fit this door.
Sa'sori's expression is hidden but no doubt the trembling of her shoulders would either indicate or fear {not likely}.
Sa'sori leaves the key in the lock and casts again... to use it to turn the key to see if her initial thoughts were correct.
Vera waits with axe drawn.
And Moira moves to cover both with her bow.
Cotton waits, hands clasped behind her back and a big smile on her face.
'Something unexpected might happen! Wheeee~!'
Mage hand seems to have no effect. Your only guess is this key is attuned to another arcane lock.
Sa'sori withdraws the key.
"This key does not go to this door. I think something very important to us is behind it. I would suggest destroying the door to effect an entry, regardless of the lock! Clearly we are not meant to enter here first... which says to me this is exactly where was want to go right now!"
"Vera... your axe would make a suitable 'key' in this circumstance."
Moira cocks her head to the side at Sa'sori's plan. "Seriously you are the oddest sorceress ever. And we know Cotton here." She smiles at Cotton who will most likely resent the comment verbally and, possibly, physically as well. "Guess I'll scout ahead. This will take a while. Can I have the key in case I find another locked door?"
Whether she gets the key or not, Moira heads back to the room with the golem. If she has the key she will see if it fits in the slot she saw before the fight. And whether is does or not she goes to the southern door and listens for trouble then opens slowly. She keeps one of the shields with her and hides behind it just in case. At any sign of trouble she sprints back to the others, yelling a warning.
Cotton just grins and winks at Moira's comment about her strangeness.
Moria, the key does fit the slot in the golem's back and turns, though it seems kt have no effect on the destroyed golem now. Heading to the southern door, you hear no signs of movement. You try the door and find it locked. Using the same key you are able to open the door. Peeking in, you see a small chamber with a table opposite the door. Laid out on the table are a number of items ranging from weapons to potions. Each item appears to have a note attached to it.
Moira cocks her head to the side at Sa'sori's plan. "Seriously you are the oddest sorceress ever. And we know Cotton here." She smiles at Cotton who will most likely resent the comment verbally and, possibly, physically as well. "Guess I'll scout ahead. This will take a while. Can I have the key in case I find another locked door?"
Whether she gets the key or not, Moira heads back to the room with the golem. If she has the key she will see if it fits in the slot she saw before the fight. And whether is does or not she goes to the southern door and listens for trouble then opens slowly. She keeps one of the shields with her and hides behind it just in case. At any sign of trouble she sprints back to the others, yelling a warning.
Sa'sori cocks her head, "What's that supposed to mean? You clearly are confusing Sorcerers with book-learned, tome-hopping wizards. We Sorcerers don't learn magic.. we ARE magic! Its more about learning who and what we are that is the difference.. and I am someone who does not waste time with 'cat-mousing' around! I take direct action and let the fires of my own magic show me the way! Had I the time and resources.. I'd just as soon destroy the door if I could not bypass it! Big deal.. it can be or replaced!"
Sa'sori shakes her hooded head in wonder, "I'll never understand why you continually want to go off on your own? Don't you realize how that is tactically unsound and dangerous in a place of unknown threats? What if you had run into that Wood Golem on your own?"
Sa'sori does not refuse to give her the key but WILL NOT let Moira go anywhere alone and follows behind her.
At the room Moria opens, Sa'sori casts to scan the room for any potential magical unknowns... like glyphs or magical traps.
A number of items in the room detect as magic including the scrolls and potions in the room but not the weapons on the table.
"Whee, scrolls!" Cotton chirps, her eyes gleaming. "I love scrolls! And there's potions, too, I guess."
"Breaking down the door would have taken too long anyways." says Vera as she peruses the weapons on the table.
Sa'sori shakes her head, "Breaking the door down would take a lot less time than it did to disable that wooden golem. That's a new one... 'too impatient to chop down a door that's in the way even with a Waraxe available'! That's one for the books... and they call me impetuous!!"
Sa'sori knows the party has no one specifically good with spotting traps, so she decides to take a calculated risk - and enters the room to stand over the table. She does not touch anything as yet but reads the little notes attached to the items on the table to see who they are addressed to. She's expecting members of the party... but she is not certain of that.
"You're giving me advice on tactics?" Moira asks in make scathing tone. "I said I was going to scout not bash or melt everything in my path. The point of scouting is to gather information without the enemy knowing." And though she says this she doesn't argue Sa'sori coming along. Not like she could change the headstrong woman's mind.
And when she reaches the golem and tries the key: "Oh look. I was right. Could have avoided this whole thing if we had just retreated and got this key. Probably all its good for."
In the room are a number of items each separated in separate piles. On the top of each of the five piles is a letter in a sealed envelope. Each envelope has one of your names on it.
Dyrm In the pile under your envelop are a wand of produce flame (10 charges) and a scroll of barkskin.
Cotton In the pile under your envelope are a wand of magic missile (10 charges) and a Scroll of Scorching Ray.
Moria In the pile under your envelope is a masterwork short sword and an oil of magic weapon.
Sa’sori In the pile under your envelope is a masterwork elven curve blade and a Scroll of Bull’s Strength.
Vera In the pile under your envelope is a wand of cure light wounds (10 charges) and a Scroll of Lesser Restoration.
"That...wasn't what I expected." Vera hurriedly tucks the letter and items left to her away in her pack. "We will be in dire need of this wand soon, I'm sure."
"You're giving me advice on tactics?" Moira asks in make scathing tone. "I said I was going to scout not bash or melt everything in my path. The point of scouting is to gather information without the enemy knowing." And though she says this she doesn't argue Sa'sori coming along. Not like she could change the headstrong woman's mind.
And when she reaches the golem and tries the key: "Oh look. I was right. Could have avoided this whole thing if we had just retreated and got this key. Probably all its good for."
Sa'sori retorts snarkily, "Let's not edit history . The Key was in the pool beyond the Wooden Golem! It would not have mattered.. you STILL would have been unable to defeat the golem~ by yourself, to even Get to the key!"
"And as for bashing or smashing my way through everything~ I'd leave this place a smoking crater if it would get me out of here one moment sooner! I'm tired of obstacles being put in my way to freedom and mastery of my own life! Well NO MORE! I'm the one directing my life now! I'm no longer giving Anyone the power to demand of my life and tell me I must yield to their desires!"
Sa'sori picks up the letter... not sure if she really wants to read it. But curiosity gets the better of her and she is relieved its from the Mayor... and not her...ex-master/molester.
She reads in silence... and is quiet for long moments after reading it. Carefully she folds the letter and tucks it away ...almost reverently.
Sa'sori pulls back her hood at last - her hair though tangled and a mess, twin 5'ft braids of hair wrapped fetchingly around her shapely body~ from her recent agitation... still she manages to look captivatingly ravishing! She picks up the elven blade... to examine it with trembling hands. The clean sheen of the weapon reflecting scintillating light across her face and long elven-like ears peeking from out of her long blonde tresses of hair. Her sultry violet eyes soften with slowly forming tears as she bows her head...
She sniffles a little and wipes unshed tears away from her pretty eyes as she unbuckles the curve blade already slung across her back. Holding it in her hands she closes her eyes clutching the older weapon tightly as a wave of emotion washes over her.
Sa'sori's expression is one of pain and sadness but strangely also the smallest hint of genuine gratitude.
She whispers,
... and she sets her old curve blade down on the table... clearly reluctantly... but with a finality.
Emotion overcoming her she turns away from the party and sobs softly...which turns to a nervous chuckle, {sob}"{chuckle}.. y'know.. besides the friendship of ... THIS...", as she straps the new exquisitely crafted curve blade across her back,"..this, is the first thing anyone has ever given to me ... without some ulterior motive or cost to be repaid? Your ... he's not so bad... for a human... "
Sa'sori picks up the scroll and slips it into her pouch. Her demeanor has subtly changed and she seems almost of a lighter spirit though her eyes wander to her old blade on the table.
"We should make haste to find where this evil in the crypt lies... an innocent life is depending upon us!"
She straightens her silken clothing and cloak adjusting the curve blade across her back... all of which merely accentuate her formidable figure and almost makes the reddish Calistrian Temple Prostitute Tattoo on her left bosom seem to glow as she gathers her dignity once again.
"Mighty kind," Cotton says while she folds up and tucks away the letter, then sticks the wand through her belt. "Mighty kind... Heck, I might come back sometime."
Moira picks up the envelope with her name on it and reads through it slowly. As she does a smile makes its way onto her face and happy tear rolls down her check. Hearing the sniffling from Sa'sori she comments, "I know right," and sniffles herself. She takes a few deep breathes to steady her nerves and folds up the paper, putting it behind the leather vest. She also maneuvers the swords at her sides to add the new one. With a prayer of thanks she gets a determined look in her eye. "Right. Let's move on."
Sa'sori turns and gives Moira a sad smile.
Then she walks over to wrap an arm around Moira and at the same time pull Cotton into a sisterly embrace.
Eyes closed and head bowed she says softly,
Her touch is very warm and tingly where her arcane tatoos touch them... as if there was arcane fire contained within her lovely, soft elven flesh.
Dyrm has ignored the verbal barbs. He seems stunned by what he's read. Indeed, it is a rare dwarf that grows misty eyed, but Dyrm appears to be close to it.
"I... pardon, I lost track of everything while reading this. I..." He almost blushes, "This is incredibly gracious. This was meant as some sort of test, but it's grown far more important than that and they aren't even aware. We cannot fail them."
for other hidden goodies.
The remains of a small fire smolder in the center of this broad chamber, letting off a plume of oily smoke. Fed by a heap of burning gear, debris, and more than a few bones, the fire casts a flickering light across the walls of this room, partially obscured by the veil of smoke. The smoke in this chamber is quite harsh, causing eyes to water and breathing to become labored.
"*Cough* I can barely see in here. *Cough* Can one of you *Cough* casters put that out?" Moira backs away from the smoke filled room, letting one of the casters move forward to put out the fire.
Dyrm says, "Normally I'm quite fond of flames but let me try."
Sa'sori moves forward and lifts her hand incanting a spell to create a small breeze about her 10'ft radius to blow the smoky soot away...
At Moira's side her glowing arcane tattoos illuminate her shapely body slightly and she says, "Move with me, , to the far right corner of the room and my 'breeze' cantrip will blow the smoke away from the 10'ft area around me and you to allow you to search for any threats in the room!"
Sa'sori has a dagger in one hand and a lit torch in the other though the flames gutter wildly in the breeze... it still provides light enough... especially for her keen elven eyes.
her, curiously, reddish feathered Hawk sits perched upon her shoulder panning his even keener eyes about the room...
Vera will wait with axe drawn for the smoke to clear a bit.