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As far as the group can tell, the man is mad, beyond all normal reasoning. After a few more burst of randomness, Edmund seems to finally be able to break through to him by turning the conversation to the paintings. In a somewhat lucid state, he turns to the group, and speaks out.
“Friends! Did the Master send you? Yes, he must have. Praised be he who ends the days! Do you seek my secret? Soon enough—but in return I ask something from you. You must give it to me as I need it to complete my collection.” He points to two paintings hung in a shadowy corner of his cell. A third canvas hangs next to them but is blank. “If you go outside this very prison you’ll find a statue covered in gold. You may have already seen her! Describe this statue to me in exquisite detail and I will tell you all I know.”
With regards to prisoner transfer, Garver relays that while it is possible, it's too much hassle and paperwork, you may not see it happen before the end of the week.
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Edmund speaks gently under his breath, reciting a prayer seeking guidance and favor from the Stag Lord.
"Garver. The artist says that there is a golden statue outside. One of a female? Does that seem right to you? It would appear that he wants to paint it and add it to his 'collection' on the back wall. Is there any chance you could describe it to him? I don't much feel up to going all the way back outside to take a look at it."
By the way, do you recognize those buildings on his paintings at the back of the cell? They seem important to him, but I don't seem to recognize them
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The jailers looks funnily at Edumnd's request, but luckily, Kazmoro intervenes. He heads right up alone and comes back to provide the statue's description. The statue depicts a curvy Taldan female with short hair and wearing flowing robes open at the neck. She regards Kazmoro the with a blank, uncaring expression. Faint moons decorate her flowing robes, and she crushes a set of scales beneath her left foot.
As the description is provided, the painter seemingly ignores Kazmoro but continuous furiously painting the blank canvas on the wall, splashing paint wildly about his cell. Upon completing the painting, he brings the painting into the light. It shows a very twisted perspective of what Kazmoro described. The once-beautiful statue stares back transformed, her visage twisted into a demonic snarl. Short humanoids with large, black eyes torment cowering prisoners in the painting’s background. Brandishing a radiant holy symbol, a lone figure fails to fight them off.
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Edmund glances at the picture, and back to the pictures hanging on the back wall. Why does none of this make sense? he frets to himself. I really hope someone else from the group can make out what all of this is. Otherwise, we are going to be stuck wandering around town asking strangers about a madman's paintings...
"None of this looks familiar to me. Does anyone here have any ideas?
He turns his attention back to the painter.
"That is a very unique painting, you have quite the eye for the surreal. You had promised that you would tell us everything you know, if we provided you the opportunity to paint this statue. I need you to answer a few questions..."
"Can you help us find OUR master? We only just got here- what is he planning to do? Those other pictures on the back wall, what are they paintings of?"
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I hope there is more to this... I am out of league here with this crazy painter and his indecipherable clues.
He starts speculating about the painting asking questions about each figure, ”Is she your master? Who is this man with a holy symbol? Are you afraid of him?”
He hopes this helps his colleagues make sense of this. He does suddenly exclaim, ”The statue has a small ‘I’ sculpted on her left leg. It’s probably the artists’s mark.”
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In cases where the skill restricts who can achieve certain results, such as trying to open a lock using Disable Device, you can’t aid another to grant a bonus to a task that your character couldn’t achieve alone. The GM might impose further restrictions to aiding another on a case-by-case basis as well.
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While the others stand around discussing the artwork, Nadric takes a close look at the imagery to see if it sparks any memory for him.
He points to the figures in the foreground. "I'm not sure who the heroic figure is supposed to be, but those squat-looking creatures are derros. It seems the venture-captain's suspicions about their involvement were correct."
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You notice that all the paintings bear the same moon iconography, and slowly even the abstract paintings on the floor seem to reveal various reflections of the iconography.
"Painting speak, painting answers all!" He proclaims joyously spinning himself around before bringing forth the other two paintings on the wall into the dim light of the room, clear enough for you to study it.
The second painting depicts a stately, white stone building. Three-foot-tall bas-reliefs circle the building’s outside walls at ground level, though they are warped and twisted in the crazed painter’s art. Derros stand atop the hall’s steps and seem to punish criminals—all of whom are wearing the robes of Taldan government officials. At the southwest corner of the building, the bas-relief glows a bright white. The same lone figure from the other paintings attempts to sooth a group of frightened children by playing a flute— the notes are actually painted above him on the canvas.
The third painting depicts the northeast retaining wall upon the sea. It shows dozens of angry derros smashing brightly-painted urns against the retaining wall, while the same lone figure from the other paintings frantically attempts to push down an obviously barred door in the middle of the wall, presumably to escape another group of menacing derros that seems to pursue him.
"Yes. Yes. Painting tell you. Master is in Crypt of Fools! Deep below Old city. Find master!"
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"Painting answers all, is it?" Nadric mutters. The man seems unable or unwilling to answer their questions directly, but if he's using the paintings to communicate... Nadric leans closer to look at the two more images that he brings out to show them.
"These are both places in Cassomir. This one is the Hall of Records, and that's Quickfall Abbey, though it stands in ruins today" he says, pointing out the second painting and then the third. He grins. "I still don't know who that man is, but he appears to be a fellow flautist. I think I like him."
He takes a step back to think through what they've been shown. "So the paintings are about derros tormenting and punishing people in Cassomir, and he says we need to go under the old city to meet this master of his. How to find the Crypt of Fools, that's the question. Do you think it's related to the Abbey?"
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Edmund still seems completely confused by the paintings, and doesn't seem to be able to connect the dots between the city and the pictures. He turns to his companions.
I still don't really see the connection between all of this. I see the Derro, and I can see the uprising against Taldor... but what does this have to do with the kidnappings
He turns back to the painter.
Do you know who made this statue? Edmund points at the golden statue . Who is this "I" person, who sculpted it? How do all of these building connect?
Turning to the guards:
"Is there a connection between these buildings? The Hall of Records and Quickfalll Abbey? Are either of these building built into hills or have old dungeons?
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Before Garver is able to recall anything useful, the crazed painter screams from his cells. "Engineers! The engineers know! You find them in Hall of Wonders."
Garver adds in after "Well, I know nothing of the buildings you speak of, but perhaps the engineers know?" He looks gravely perplexed at the knowledge of the prisoner.
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"I think the gnomes request is a very fair one
"Garver- What is this man's crime? Beyond being a few paints short of a full pallet- what crime has he been convicted of?
I know the rules of the Swift, and I know the tremendous freedom provided to some of the "prisoners" here. How is it that you track those who roam throughout the city? Surely the same could be provided for this man in an effort to help us.
I fear that the engineers who are now missing may have been the same engineers who would have been able to help us.
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Garver clears his throat, "Actually, it's 5 silver for the abstract ones on the floor, the wall murals are 1 gold each, no discounts. I may have been able to help you get in here, but getting this man out is far beyond my abilities, he is wanted on the crimes of humanity, the cult he serves has killed and robbed many people of their lives and freedom." He responds firmly, indicating that his release is out of the question, or perhaps you have not enough gold for the feat.
"And, acutally, the Hall of Wonders is a known building in this town, I could give you directions to if you need."
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"Garver please tell us where the Hall of Wonders is located. Also I think we should purchase all the artwork he has in case they provide new leads. The 'engineers' may be able to help us figure this out, or at least where to locate the Crypt of Fools. I can contribute 2 gold coins towards the purchase of the paintings."
He seems relieved to finally have a solid lead to follow. Two gold coins appear in his hand.
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Seems worth it to me . Edmund pulls out a few coins and contributes to the cause. If nothing else, perhaps it will buy someone around here a little bit of freedom
The conversation has been erratic, but much has been gained by talking to the painter. It always seems to be a random question or a reference that sends him spouting off and uncovering more, good, information. [i] What questions have we left unasked? [i]
Edmund turns back to the painter- patiently engaging in conversation regarding the pictures, the scenes depicted, or the role of the "cult" in all of these proceedings. He says a quick prayer- asking that the Stag Lord would help him find what needs to be found. That Edmunds success would help to counteract the obvious defiling of the natural order.
"What is the master doing with those he takes? You know, the masons and engineers. Is he building something? Breaking something down?
"If he wants to bring the end, why would the master return those he takes as undead? Do the undead have special meaning for him?
"What happens in the crypt of fools?"
"Can you paint a picture of the Crypt for us? Of the master?
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Nadric is a little surprised when the others start collecting coin to purchase the paintings. "They're interesting and all, but a little too unsettling for my taste. Give me a good impression of a fruit basket hung above the hearth any day." He laughs weakly, trying to conceal his increasing discomfort at their proximity to the man's evident madness. He waits nervously while Edmund continues to question him, but then lowers his voice a little and adds, "I think we might be wasting our breath with this one. I say we head to the Hall of Wonders to see if we can find out anything about this crypt. He'll still be here if we need to come back later."
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"I don't think he's unfriendly, so I don't think my magic can help right now, unless...
Zarzuket starts making gestures and reciting an incantation
Casting Time 1 standard action
Component: V, S
Range 60 ft.
Area cone-shaped emanation
Duration concentration, up to 1 min./level (D)
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
You detect magical auras. The amount of information revealed depends on how long you study a particular area or subject.
1st Round: Presence or absence of magical auras.
2nd Round: Number of different magical auras and the power of the most potent aura.
3rd Round: The strength and location of each aura. If the items or creatures bearing the auras are in line of sight, you can make Knowledge (arcana) skill checks to determine the school of magic involved in each. (Make one check per aura: DC 15 + spell level, or 15 + 1/2 caster level for a nonspell effect.) If the aura emanates from a magic item, you can attempt to identify its properties (see Spellcraft).
Magical areas, multiple types of magic, or strong local magical emanations may distort or conceal weaker auras.
Aura Strength: An aura’s power depends on a spell’s functioning spell level or an item’s caster level; see the accompanying table. If an aura falls into more than one category, detect magic indicates the stronger of the two.
Lingering Aura: A magical aura lingers after its original source dissipates (in the case of a spell) or is destroyed (in the case of a magic item). If detect magic is cast and directed at such a location, the spell indicates an aura strength of dim (even weaker than a faint aura). How long the aura lingers at this dim level depends on its original power:
Outsiders and elementals are not magical in themselves, but if they are summoned, the conjuration spell registers. Each round, you can turn to detect magic in a new area. The spell can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.
Detect magic can be made permanent with a permanency spell.
(tables for aura strength and lingering aura on page 267 of the core rulebook (5th printing))
The gnome's eyes glow with a bright blue light while he examines the prisioner and the cell.
It's a long shot, but who knows...
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"Dalirio want to hide the crypt! Only Engineer know how to find the crypt."He nods. He goes on the explain he does not know what the crypt nor what master looks like or it's purpose. Zarzuket finds absolutely no magical aura's around the prison cell.
With the directions from Garver, it's not difficult to find the Hall of Wonders. Smoke and steam pour through many openings of this misshapen building. Gears and gizmos can be heard clicking against one another in a rhythmic cadence. A loud “chunkchunk” sounds as several pistons churn up and down, powering some unknown machine. A cacophonous symphony of grinding metal plays on. An enormous sign, nearly the entire width of the building, declares it to be the Hall of Wonders. There are many windows across the building.
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The rhythmic creaking and pounding get louder as they approach through the city, until they get close enough to read the sign and it becomes clear that all the noise is coming from the place they're looking for. "When I heard that it's called the Hall of Wonders, I didn't expect it to be something so... mechanical. Well, one way to find out what's making all that racket - shall we head in?"
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While he has been in Cassomir many times, Edmund has never payed much mind to the Hall of wonders. Mechanical things never much captured his interest, but now he had to care.
As he walks through the streets and up to the building, he tries to size up the building and it’s function.
As they approach, something seems off. Over the roar of machinery, there is a quiet but audible scream.
”Anyone else hear that? There is definitely screams coming from inside. Best to be ready for anything...
Edmund takes a split second to string his bow and tightens the quiver on his hip.
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The oread monk walks with determination towards the Hall of Wonders, needing to occasionally jog to keep up with the longer legged humans. As they approach their target he listens to the sounds of machinery:
But seems blissfully unaware of any issues, until Edmund warns the group about hearing screams.
He unwraps his double-chained kama and readies to enter the building.
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A young, but obviously confident man strides up to the group as they prepare to enter the building.
"You must be the Pathfinders. The Venture Leader was afraid you would mess it up, so I'm here to make sure everything goes well," he says.
He waves indolently at the door. "Carry on," he says, taking up a spot in their line as though it was everyone's plan all along.
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The door is seemingly safe, and opening it only reveals thick smoke ahead. It's difficult, almost impossible, to see anything further than 5 feet ahead of you. As you walk through the smokey hallway, you encounter an opening in the wall. The wall adjacent to you are 20 feet high.
The screams become much more audible, but on top of the noises of the machinery, it's difficult to tell who or how many people are screaming. In the centre of the room , beyond the mist you can vaguely make out three great structures piercing from the centre of the room.
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Celas moves in through the smoke cautiously, He is soon able to make a little bit sense of the room. A vague outline of a balcony can be seen above your heads, perhaps 10-15 feet above the ground.
He can partially see two of the three great structures. One seemingly made of out gears, and another outlined like a giant crab.
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As soon as the door opens, Edmund moves down the corridor- following close behind Celas. He has an arrow knocked and light tension on the string. Thoughts flitter through his mind as he moves through the fog. Everything here feels completely unnatural. I have to stay alert...
He pulls up short behind Celas and sees the hall open up to his left- and notices the hallways continues ahead. He calls to Celas as he slips by I'll go straight. Stay alert , and then proceeds down the open hallway taking care to be quiet and hidden. Might as well take advantage of whats here...
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Moving in cautiously, Kazmoro enters the smoke and mist filled corridor with his companions following closely behind. As the corridor opens to his left he strains to see through...
He moves on through the opening in the corridor trying to make out what is making the screams, and with his weapons ready to stop any threats.