Simeon stares at the massive puzzle door, then grins and crosses his arms and leans back against the far wall.
"I'm just a simple thug, ladies and gents. Wake me up when you've figured this all out."
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Gabriela punches Simeon lightly on the arm as she passes "Come on now, everywhere we've been you gotta know something!" The Musetouched Dawn Dancer stands a few feet from the puzzle door, where her unhelpful squinting at the engravings and their associated diagrams does nothing to make them less indecipherable.
"Well.. hopefully Apsu has some insight for you on this one." She says mildly to Hames as sits on the floor against the wall near Simeon.
Hames nods at Gabriela and approaches the door carefully, the earlier dragon symbol having piqued his curiosity. To everyone's surprise, the Cleric begins reading the symbols aloud, until all eight carvings are deciphered.
Hames successfully deciphers the meaning of all the riddles to the group.
Simeon crosses his arm and scowls as he forces himself to concentrate.
"Echoes from the shadow realm, whispers of things yet to come. Thought’s strange sister dwells in night, is swept away by dawning light. Of what do I speak?" He shrugs. "Sounds like sleep to me?"
"I’d neither a guest nor a trespasser be; in this place belong, that belongs also to me. Of what do I speak?" Simeon rubs at his head. "See, this is the kind of stuff that hurts my brain. A map, perhaps? Could be a sword too. Hell if I know."
"A poison of the soul, passion’s cruel counterpart; from love she grows, till love lies slain. Of what do I speak?" Simeon sighs and stares dolefully at Hames. "He's speaking of riddles, is what. No idea on this one. Maybe a woman staring at a man and his lover?"
"She wields the broken sword, and separates true kings from tyrants. Of what do I speak?" Simeon closes his eyes and digs his thumbs into his sockets. "Crud. Swords go with knights?"
"No man has seen it, but all men know it. Lighter than air, sharper than any sword. Comes from nothing, but will fell the strongest armies. Of what do I speak?" Simeon sighs and sits down, knowing this is going to be a long day. "The Whispering Tyrant? Riddles? A proclamation?"
"The bones of the world strength towards the sky’s embrace. Veiled in white, like a bride greeting her groom. Of what I do speak?" At this one Simeon grins. "Hey, I know this one. A longbow! Just kidding. A mountain!"
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. The debt of blood must be paid in full. Of what do I speak?" Simeon stares at Hames. "Really? A desk is one of the options?"
"The smallest lark could carry it, while a strong man might not. Of what do I speak?" Simeon just goes quiet on this one, clearly starting to sulk.
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Gabriela nods appreciatively as Hames reads the unknown language and thereby explains the puzzle's mechanism. She pats Simeon consolingly as she thinks on the riddles' meaning. "Come on Dieuwer, I know you're as sharp as you are sour, and your sullen well of wisdom is no more shallow than our skilled cleric's own." She gives the Half-Elf a wink and a nudge. "I'm afraid for Simeon's sanity if you can't help him sort these heavy thoughts!"
Hames carefully ponders the riddles set before him, applying his wisdom to each.
1. "A sleeping man seems right, but it's such an obvious choice. It makes sense that the first riddle would be easier than the ones after it, but to me they all seem equally difficult and because of that I'm afraid I can't answer for sure until I know what a Flayleaf is."
2. "In this place belong, that belongs also to me... A map would show where something belongs, and the map would only be useful to find the thing on it (hence, that belongs also to me). It's not a guest or a trespasser because the person who owns the map is supposed to find whatever it leads to."
3. "The thing about riddles is that the obvious answer usually isn't it. 'A king on a throne' doesn't make sense to me, for there is no 'she' unless we assume they're speaking of the kingdom, so we must look at the other two options. From the first part, one might think it's the first option, but 'a woman staring at a man and a woman' does not equal 'from love she grows, till love lies slain'. Also, if it's talking about 'passion' in a traditional sense, it might make sense that a child would be a cruel counterpart. Therefore, I think it's the second option."
4. "A book is never a 'she', therefore it must be one of the other two options. The third option seems obvious, but a victorious knight does not wield a broken sword, nor does sparing a fallen foe necessarily make a 'true king'. A child playing though, might wield a 'broken' (as in dulled or wooden) sword, and if they're allowed to play with such things, that would seperate a tyrant from a true king."
5. "Undoubtedly a proclamation. Men can see clouds and other men with empty chests. Not to mention that clouds and men with chests are not sharp or lighter than air."
6. "It can only be a theater," Hames snickers at his own joke. "It has to be a mountain. I think we can all agree on that."
7. "The riddle speaks of ancient law, and therefore must be referring to an executioner's noose."
8. Hames smiles, "A treble-clef refers to music. A lark can sing, but even the strongest of men might find themselves unable to."
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Gabriela shrugs "Flayleaf sounds like a plant to me. Lotta times the easiest answer is the right one. Maybe they're trying to trick us by making it too easy so we pick the wrong answer trying to be extra smart.. eh?"
She nods as Hames goes through similar thoughts to her own on most of the riddles. "I don't know about the child playing... you've got a good point, but seems like it's moving away a bit from the information on the wall there. The thing I think we're looking for is Compassion - it separates 'true kings' from tyrants. That's best depicted by the knight. A broken sword is also a sign for peace, which is what a good king strives for. And you did say it reads 'She wields The broken sword,' right? That's more an abstraction, like for Peace, opposed to the general description of a child's toy, or a specific weapon the knight is wielding."
Hames responds positively to Gabriela's critique, adopting her answers on those two riddles.
1. "In that case, the sleeping man answer seems to be correct. 'Thought's strange sister swept away by dawning light' and 'whispers of things yet to come' clearly speak of dreams."
4. The Cleric nods with a smile, "It is as you say, Gabriela."
"How can you possibly get that kind of an answer to the second riddle? It's obviously referring to jealousy! That is, the woman looking at the man and woman!"
"Now, the fifth one, I can see your reasoning, Hames. But I think you misunderstood one of the symbols. I think the man carrying an empty chest isn't meant to literally represent a man carrying an empty chest, but instead it represents a lack of money. Which I think fits the riddle much better."
The symbols are chosen, the final button pressed.
The first presses in satisfyingly.
The second shivers a little, then slides away and fire belches forth, horribly scorching everyone.
The fourth is rusted with age, but is still pressed in eventually.
The fifth presses in as soon as touched.
As is the sixth.
The seventh seems to go in, then slides away and more fire belches forth.
Finally, the eighth is accepted.
The door still stands stuck still, the failed try symbols burnt by the fire, the two remaining still there.
Simeon's howls of outrage fill the room twice as he's scorched.
He contorts and throws himself flat on the ground, but still the flames cinder and burn his flesh and clothing.
Picking himself up, wincing and scowling, he stares at his reddened and cracked flesh, and stares at the others. "Why are we here again? I've suddenly forgotten why this option was the best one."
Dieuwer manages to dodge most of the flames, becoming only medium-rare instead of well done.
Hames is taken completely by surprise, his wisdom failing him. The first jet of flames hits him hard and the second nearly fells him. Only by stumbling towards a nearby wall does the Cleric survive, and he collapses against it. As a last ditch effort, in order to save anyone caught afire, he points towards the ceiling and makes a weak whisper for Apsu's divine aid, causing a short, soothing shower of water to pour over the party.
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"I believe there may be fire magic behind this door." Gabriela laughs softly, breath coming out in pained gasps in the hot, dry air.
"This is much more interesting than dealing with gold-drunk merchants who've forgotten what it means to truly be alive." She says excitedly after magically healing the edge of pain from her burns. "Besides, who knows what other sort of treasure's locked away in this formidable vault." She glances toward the manhole entrance. "In any case, whether we crack open this old tomb or go see the oil merchant, it might be best if we save it for tomorrow. We should go back to the Dancing Devil or find another inn to bed down."
"Unless, of course, you feel confident enough in the last two answers to give them a try now?" She gives the others an instigating smirk.
"The second one's a bloody sword - never invited to the body it invades, that is, nonetheless, where it's made to go." She pats the scimitar on her hip.
"The seventh is still a mystery - maybe you were on the right track, Hames, saying it refers to the oldest law, but didn't go far enough; a desk could represent law itself, which might be the answer. But a man stabbing another in the back is about as perfect here as a sleeping man is for the first."
Simeon curses and picks himself up. "With a little healing I'd be ready to press on, but a good night's sleep wouldn't go amiss either."
"Hmph. I'm not going anywhere until that door's open," Dieuwer says dourly, takes a wand from his belt, and starts methodically poking his companions with it after first healing his own wounds.
"So, Gabriela, since you seem to have an idea what the right answers might be... Could you go and enter them to the door while the rest of us wait a bit farther away? I think that we'll get them right this time, but better safe than sorry..."
Hames stands up straight and stretches, much appreciating the magical healing as he ensures all his wounds have been mended. "Many blessings, Dieuwer, but Gabriela will not be entering the answers." The Cleric approaches the door, pushing in 'Bloody Sword' and 'Man stabbing another man in the back'. He does not yet press the final button to lock these new answers in, instead reaching for his bag and removing a set of marked sticks and about 3 boxes of incense.
Setting up the incense, Hames tosses the marked sticks onto the ground and reads the results, relying on Apsu's wisdom rather than his own, performing an Augury (whether pressing the final button and inputting these answers will bring Weal or Woe). "Everyone out, I will call to you once the door is open. The Exiled Wyrm will show me the way and offer protection from the fire." He adds rather grimly, "And if he does not, and I perish, then I perish."
Woe
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Hames features darken as he gains an inkling of insight from the Maker of All.
After the rest of the party leaves the room for safety, the Cleric approaches the door one more time, making one last alteration to the answers. The answers he puts in are, 'A cottage' and 'A man stabbing another in the back'. Muttering under his breath, he curses his earlier foolishness, relying on his own wisdom instead of the Waybringer. With a last-minute prayer for fire protection (Firebelly), Hames presses the final button.
Click Home
Click Vengeance
The puzzle door rolls back in eerie silence, revealing a small, hallowed alcove. Four shelves set into the wall contain skeletons. A large chest stands on the ground between them all, decorated with symbols of Pharasma. Above it, set into the wall, is an ancient staff pointed at the door, made with ashen wood and a small bright-red ruby set into the tip. Red lettering in a gibberish language skitters over its surface, quietly pulsing.
Hames attempts to read the lettering before calling the party back in.
Studying the lettering and the patterns for awhile, Hames eventually realizes that the letters from the Old Chelish equivalent of 'I was paid to make this look impressive' are constantly and randomly skittering around the wand.
Satisfied, Hames calls everyone back in. "It's open! The correct answers were Cottage and Man stabbing another in the back." The room smells sweet with still-burning incense. He directs the party to the alcove with the mysterious wand, "This is what was revealed. I believe the wand might be a fake since it reads something along the lines of, 'I was paid to make this look good'."
Simeon pokes his head in warily, then seeing that the coast is clear ambles back in with his lips pursed. He stops beside Hames, clapping him on the shoulder, and peers into the alcove.
"Well. Looks like some unnecessary skeletons being used as decorations. Fits in with the wand's motto. Though perhaps the wand's creator was simply taking mocking the man who ordered it without the buyer's knowledge. Was it the source of that fire?"
If nobody objects, he'll move in close and inspect the chest for traps.
Simeon fails to find any traps.
From where he's crouching, he looks up at the rest of the group. "Looks to be all clear. Shall we open it up?"
"Sure, go ahead," Dieuwer says, eager to see what kinds of loot the chest holds.
Simeon grabs the chest and yanks it open. This activates an undiscovered trap, bathing him and the contents of the chest in flame.
The chest contained mostly parchment and paper; now about two hundred burnt gold coins are all that remain.
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The flames engulf Simeon, who doesn't even rise from his crouch. When they and the smoke recede, he's still crouched there, face blackened and scorch, clothing charred, his face set in a very resentful frown.
"I am seriously. Very seriously. Beginning to hate this place."
Hames is about to say something; a word of warning; but before he can open his mouth, Simeon flips open the chest and a trap is set off. The Cleric gasps as he watches the flames consume the chest's contents, and he rushes forward in an attempt to save them. "Don't touch anything! Get away!", the Cleric cries. Standing over the chest, he waves his hands and makes a plea to almighty Apsu, Maker of All. For if the Waybringer could fashion the Heavens with his will, then perhaps he may allow some sort of document to be restored from ashes (Mending).
Mending sadly fails to aid in this case.
Hames gives up, defeated. With a sigh, he turns back to the rest of the party, a wry smile on his face, "It seems the flames have claimed their share of the spoils." Bending over, Hames helps Simeon from off the floor. "I am sorry, friend. It is my fault that you have been scorched so often by these flames. I should have consulted Apsu's divine guidance more frequently, being more timid during the riddles, and more aggressive in warning you about the chest."
"There was a fog over my mind earlier, but it has lifted now and I will speak freely," Hames clears his throat, "I believe it was a mistake to try and rob this tomb, and combined with our earlier slaughter, it's clear to me that we are being looked upon dis-favorably by the gods. Think, all the signs were there:
The dragon on the entrance, a mark of Apsu;
The fire, a domain of Sarenrae and Asmodeus;
The chest, with the symbols of Pharasma."
Hames pauses, grimly, before continuing. "And who among us took the fullest extent of the flames? It was Simeon and I who were punished most severely. Simeon for committing the murders, and I for failing to properly guide this group. Take the wand if you will, but I demand that we offer prayers and that the gold be left behind as recompense for the gods we have offended."
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Gabriela briefly bows her head at Hames' superstitious wisdom, nodding subtly. "Oh we're keeping the wand; it's this or the oil to burn the house down, and we've already got the one." She turns to leave the tomb, then spins thoughtfully and flips a gold piece of her own onto the pile in the chest with a shrug.
"Come on lad, we can go skulk through the dark around the manor grounds to get a sense of them. Take your mind off this place." She pats Simeon gingerly, using the last of her magic to heal some of most recent wounds
"Dieuwer? You could give this crispy guy some tips on the finer points of angry brooding." She nods to Hames, a final, unspoken invitation.
The fire-wand and some loose gold retrieved, the group makes their way above-surface. Night begins to fall as they head for Anders' manor house, following directions given. Eventually, they find the spot.
The house is in a quiet part of town; though the hour is not late the streets are virtually deserted, and the nearest guard seems a full block over. The house itself is about eighty feet by forty and two-story. Before your eyes, a stern-faced man in rich servants' clothes shuts curtains and dims lights. A chimney crowns the second story, no soot belching from it. Doors to the house are the main front entrance, and the rear, quieter, servants' entrance.
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Hames' lecture finds a grim response from Simeon, who simply brushes soot from his hair (along with burnt hair) and scowls. "You gotta leave a little room in your ethos for coincidences, Hames. And I didn't murder those men. I simply finished what we started." He waves his hand though, not wanting to get into a theological debate. "But all right, all right, let's leave a huge pile of perfectly spendable gold sitting here in order to appease Apsu. Fine by me. I'm sure we'll come by more in time."
Simeon leaves the tomb grumpy and surly and singed, but after Gabriela's ministrations and fetching a new (if equally nondescript) shirt out of his pack, it takes little time for his insouciant confidence to reassert itself.
"Now this is more like it," he says to the group as they close in on the house. "Takes me back, this does. Casing a joint. Golden memories of my childhood years. Don't know how many times I knocked on a kitchen door, all winsome and abandoned by the cruel world, in the hopes of being allowed inside for a cup of soup so that I could get a sense of the layout. Ah, good times. Good scores, too! Trick is to know when to scarper."
As they get close and he sees the house, he nods and taps the side of his nose. "Classic shut house. No easy ways in. If we had a little more time, a confidence job would be our best bet to gain us access. But we're just looking to set the whole damn thing on fire, aren't we? That case, all we need to know is who's in the house at any given moment so we don't get any deaths on our hands."
He nods to the others. "Brings more attention, deaths do."
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Simeon manages to notice the second floor.
While Simeon reminiscenses about his childhood, Dieuwer scans the house with his eyes over and over again, trying to see if there's anything out of ordinary about the house that could escape a cursory glance.
After a few more minutes, Dieuwer spots the servant leaving from the back door.
Hames approves of Gabriela and Simeon's responses, noting Dieuwer's lack of response. Leaving the gold behind gives the Cleric some peace, and Gabriela's coin toss causes him to bow in thanks. Before accompanying the others, he makes a small prayer.
--
At the manor, Hames carefully examines the house, his senses emanating outwards as he focuses. "Isn't Anders a servant of Asmodeus?" (cast Detect Demon)
Through the walls, Hames can detect no evil taint.
Hames reports this to the party, "It would seem that there is no demonic influences, or at least not anything I can sense from out here." He takes a moment to ponder and consider possible plans of action.
"It would seem to me that the man isn't worried about the consequences of betraying the Badger Lord. The house is seemingly unguarded, and he's putting on that play," says Hames, pausing. He opens his mouth to speak but silences himself, and it is with considerable difficult that he utters his next words "I will defer to the rest you for planning this affair. Just know that I am capable of fighting without weapons; I have training."