|
Aziraphale looks puzzled for a moment before shaking their head. The Angel turns towards Stonelance and shrugs his broad shoulders.
"Multiple persons appear inside, though none answer the door. Either they are extremely rude or this is a trick. The papers piled up her do point to the latter. We will have to either force entry or check at their Arcanium to see if anyone knows of his whereabouts? I am unbothered either way."
|
|
Aziraphale is thoughtful as they make their way to the Arcanium to enquire about Fimbrik, as if they are debating the current situation internally. Turning his masked face to Fimbrik's old acquaintance he frowns. He then speaks cautiously, not wishing to reveal their intentions with the Gnome's home.
"Good sir pray tell, did Fimbrik ever talk with you about his acquaintance with an Eylysia?"
|
Zahira is growing visibly impatient. "If he's home, he's not answering his door, which happens to have - months, shall we say? - worth of newspapers stacked outside it. Is he in the habit of ignoring his newspapers, or is he just not home?" She looks around at her companions, honestly confused. "Was he home?"
|
Guk shatters the window with a well-placed toss, then carefully climbs through. Fimbrik's study contains a round table surrounded by chairs, and the walls are replete with tome-laden bookshelves. The gnome perusing his books makes no sign of acknowledging you, and doesn't react to the window breaking at all.
Guk is now inside, what do you do?
|
|
Aziraphale thank the Arcanium Gnome and then makes his way back to Fimbrik's home with the others, making sure they aren't followed as they enter the grounds. When Guk breaks the window he sighs.
"Finally, now we best find out what Fimbrik knows."
Climbing through the broken window the 'Angel of Razmir' begins searching the study for clues.
|
|
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. A second set of stairs leads up to an unfinished second floor.
The bedroom
A bed and desk occupy this room.
The study
This study contains a round table surrounded by chairs, and the walls are replete with tome-laden bookshelves.
The meeting room
This chamber contains enough chairs, pillows, and desks to accommodate at least six visitors. On a table in the southwest corner you find a neatly penned letter, along with a hastily scrawled note.
—The Illustrious Fimbrik
On the note is a single name, Hollis "Evil Grin" Thorne.
On the window sill you also find a pair of potion vials. You can attempt to identify them by giving them a taste and making a Perception check for each.
|
|
Aziraphale will halt Zahira and Guk from going near the sofa, pointing out the carpet nearest to it.
"A Summoning circle, let us try are best to avoid it, if we go to the front door we will go close to it. Anyone else interested in why this home is dust free?"
The question hanging in the air, the 'Angel continues his search, avoiding the sofa in the front room. Finding the vials he attempts to sniff them. Having no idea he passes them to the others.
|
Stonegrin sniffs the potions and nods as he is familiar with such spells from the Clergy.
This one is a powerful wound ointment. And this one has restorative powers...both worth a pretty petty should we not need em.
The Dwarf pockets the restoration potion and hands the CMW over to anyone who might need it.
|
Gul is careful to heed Aziraphale's advice concerning the summoning circle, and gives it a wide berth. He helps searching the house, leaving no stone unturned.
" *Ribbit* A fine nose you have, Master Dwarf! You're right indeed. Now let's have a look at this letter. The Wall of Names appears to be our next stop then. A password? Interesting, I'll write it down just in case it might come in handy later. In any case, we're done here. Let's return to the Grand Lodge and see what the Wall of Names has to offer." Guk suggests.
|
|
The Wall of Names is a long black glass wall that curves around a hillside by the Grand Lodge. The names of every fallen Pathfinder are written there, and a few visitors are walking along it reading the names when you arrive.
You find the names Adolphus pointed out in his note in the sea of inscriptions eventually. Each one looks like the legitimate names, containing dates and a short epitaph.
AR
Wrote in solitude for 101 days.
Lived a long life of silence and serenity.
AR
Respectfully resigned after losing a friend.
Lost to a life among the fish and bountiful sea.
AR
Sought the jade idol of ten thousand faces.
Now but another sacrifice to the charau-ka of the Mwangi.
|
|
Aziraphale pulls up his hood against the elements thrashing the streets of Absalom and pauses as he enters the gates to Absalom's Grand Lodge, as if pondering his place in the organisation. Shaking his head to clear it the masked 'Angel' joins the others studying the names at the wall. After a few moments of thought he speaks.
"Well this is curious, the statements here are an oddity, though I have seen similar in his Holiness' scriptures. These are part of the Cenotaph for Starstone Aspirants who fail the trials."
|
|
Foster's note directs you to Eastgate, where a necropolis is operated by the Abadaran church. A fence surrounds the cemetary, and members of the faith patrol its confines. It is open to the public who wish to pay their respects though.
As you enter, a priest pacing the grounds waves you over. "Greetings, guests. Where do you travel so armed whithin Absalom's walls?"
|
|
Aziraphale dutifully follows his compatriots once more, taking note of the failed aspirants inscriptions as a note for the future. The notebook he uses is covered in Razmiran doctrine and the page before the recent scribbling carries many similar statements to those of the failed Aspirants, though they have been scratched out and half-finished.
Intrigued that the Mausoleum is guarded by priests of the Merchant rather than Death, Aziraphale frowns beneath his mask at the Priests naïve question.
"Greetings Priest, our travels take us from outside Absalom and none have told us it is forbidden to wear arms here. Is that the case? if so I shall return my blades and then return at a later date.
Tell me, are travellers permitted to walk the grounds?"
|
|
Aziraphale pauses at the priests question, not wishing to reveal their business here, but unable to think of a convincing lie. It would be unlikely that people of his own faith would be buried here after all.
"The weapons we carry are due to a longer journey and we seek wisdom here before we depart. Remembering ones heritage is often purifying." he Quotes.