A the mist clears, everything quickly returns to normal, except Morgrim's skin appears to have turned blue.
What now?
The tiny fisted rod is indeed magical.
Lia retrieves the map without any trouble.
It is a wand of Knock.
Upon opening the door you easily sop the servant standing nearby with a clipboard. He congratulates you on your success, and asks for the remaining keys back, but allows you to keep the map and wand.
Additionally he pauses for a moment when looking at Morgrim before making some notes and sending you along your way.
If Amenopheus is further sought, it is reported that he has left for the day and that you should try back tomorrow.
Where to next?
On an unrelated note: could everybody make me a perception check please.
The grand temple of Abadar quickly comes into view and then passes by. You are taken to a small shrine of Abadar where acolytes provide basic spell-casting services at basic prices. Castings of Cure light wounds (CL 1) are available as well as any other basic spell casting services you may require. Prices are clearly posted and the priests are quite courteous although brisk.
The figured appeared to be a halfling with a bright blond, almost comical handlebar mustache.
Having taken a bit over an hour going back and forth across town, Morgim and his companions notice his skin return to a more normal shade.
Arriving at Paracountess Zarta Dralneen’s townhouse in the Ivy District you come upon a magnificent gothic structure three stories in height. The ebon lacquered double doors wrought with gleaming silver fixtures greet the characters, a prickly brass cone hanging from a chain serving as the door chime.
Moments after ringing it, a servant in loose casual attire opens the door, greeting you as if expected.
He leads you through well-appointed sitting rooms, ballrooms,
and a grand stairway granting a view of an elaborate study, the PCs finally arrive on the third floor of the house, at the door of Zarta’s personal study, which lies beyond her bedroom. Knocking upon the door and announcing his presence, the servant opens the darkly stained wooden door.
A large intricate carpet dominates the marble floor in this sitting room. A chaise sits along the north wall and a desk spans the southeast corner, its chair positioned with its back to the southwest corner of the room. Three comfortable chairs are positioned around a small, low circular table.
Sitting in the chair behind the desk, Paracountess Zarta
Dralneen regards the PCs with a wry smile, putting away a few papers before standing to address you.
"Aldor, you are dismissed. Close the door behind you and attend to your other tasks.”
She then turns her attention to the group.
“It’s always so incredibly adorable when I see a freshfaced batch of Pathfinders. I mean, look at you scrumptious little teacakes. I could eat each and every one of you up. Well, maybe not you.” Zarta points.
“I assume this isn’t a pleasure visit since most of you are terribly overdressed for that manner of occasion, so that must mean you are here for that trinket Valsin has been nagging me about. Seems I can’t get that man around these parts anymore,”
she gestures, sliding her hand down her body and widening the gesture
to sweep out and across the room as if her home were a secondary thought.
“On the good side, he always sends me all the precious new recruits. Many think we in Cheliax serve and worship devils, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, we use the creatures for their power. They serve us and we sculpt their power in our own interests. The world must come to terms with the order of things. People need to know their place and operate accordingly. It is the only way to make order from this world. Too many people stretch too far beyond their station,
making waves and eroding the true order.”
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Lecky noticing the conversation between Lia and Talathel, "Is there any problem if you don't mind me asking?".
----------
"I apologize for looking not very well dressed. If I may share my opinion on the matter, if people will just blindly follow whatever they're told and don't try to stretch then they will just be doing whatever they're doing for the rest of their lives. A little imagination and improvisation here and there is needed I believe. Although I would like to have a conversation with you more, I'm afraid I don't have the time as I don't want to bother my fellow pathfinders unless they're interested in what you're saying. Maybe sometime you can elaborate with this 'control' you're talking about."
The Paracountess runs her eyes lecherously up and down Lecky.
"Come by after you're done with your errands Pathfinder and I'll gladly elaborate on methods of control."
The Paracountess is interrupted by a cacophony of booms and crashes from beyond the room's west door.
Looking over at the door and frowning, the Paracountess continues:
"Ambrus's trinket is a seven-lock iron case I've been working on... opening. I wouldn't advise tampering with it, it's covered in magic and sealed with strong locks."
The Paracountess is once again interrupted by violent sounds from the next room before finally addressing the noise.
"A servant is greatly misbehaving and you're going to have to deal with it in order to get the trinket."
She goes over to her desk, opens a drawer and draws out an exquisite silver letter opening.
She walks up to Lecky, her body pressed against Lecky, her right hand on Lecky's hip as she presses the letter opening into Lecky's hands.
"You might need this to get it to. submit." she offers with a sly grin as she pulls her body away from Lecky's, running her hand up his side."[/b]
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Manners are the only thing just barely holding Morgrim back from rolling his eyes and muttering unkind things about the Paracountess. If this is a sample of the Chelish 'true order', I want nothing of it.
Just before Lecky opens the door, Morgrim intones a prayer, invoking the aid of Abadar in their dealings with the servant.
Zarta’s bedroom is decorated in the colors of Cheliax— ebon black and crimson red. Silk, rare woods, and carefully carved marble compose every bit of furniture in the room.
Goose down now litters the room, covering almost every surface and the silken shreds of the cushions that contained it lie about like flayed skin. A post on the massive screened bed is snapped in half, collapsed on the bed and drawing the screened curtains into a ripped slope of formerly fine cloth.
Vials of perfume and crystal jars of other cosmetics sit smashed on the marble floor around the dresser. A prominent fixture in the room, a large “X” made of stout wood sits along the west wall, complete with leather shackles and chains.
A table sits to its left strewn with various items intended for pleasure, but outwardly resembling implements of pain.
A tiny red skinned, scorpion tailed, winged beastie floats in the middle of the room, holding the box, ready to fling it against a wall.
Imp
Lia
Morgrim
Sir Lecky
Talathel
Initiative
Lia
Morgrim
Talathel
Sir Lecky
Imp
The creature spins away from Lia, barely keeping the box out of reach.
Morgrim: You think the creature is an Imp (Lawful/Evil Outsider) and that it is resistant to non good/silver weapons.
Initiative
Morgrim
Talathel
Sir Lecky
Imp
Lia
Talathel:you also know it's an Imp and recall that it's immune to fire and has a poisoned stinger.
Initiative
Talathel
Sir Lecky
Imp
Lia
Morgrim