"Sounds good to me," Lukas replies. He approaches the eastern door and checks it carefully, then tests the knob. If it's locked, he works to get it open.
It appears that you have come across a well-stocked larder! This well-stocked pantry contains nothing of any real value, however there is a bevvy of food and drink at your disposal. Even the easily perishable items seem to be fairly fresh.
As much as Lukas would like to stop for a snack, they've only just arrived and have work to do. "We can come back here later if we get hungry," he suggests. He then goes and listens at the next door and inspects it, then steps aside for Celes to open it.
Jebediah eyes the half ELf warily then looks over to Celes.
So what if we are hungry?
The door won't open, but it doesn't seem to be locked.
Lukas sets his shoulder against the door and gives it a shove, but he's not strong enough to force it open. He grits his teeth and tries again, shoving much more forcefully the second time.
Lukas' attempts tell him that the door is much stouter than he anticipated and he will likely need to help to brute force down the door.
Lukas says, "Okay, Celes, let's try this together." He gives the door an especially powerful shove, timed to match Celes' efforts.
Falzeal attempts to aid as well.
Once Falzeal and Celes both aid Lukas, they are able to push the door open far enough for entrance. Everything from the tiny room seems to have been pushed against the door, except the bed. It looks to be a servant's quarters.
Lukas looks around, wondering aloud, "Who pushed everything against the door? Where'd they go?"
Likely someone who didn't want anyone else inside... Jebediah muses as he follows Lukas inside.
Lukas looks around the room and spots a foot sticking out slightly from under the bed. The roughly cobbled shoe give the impression of abject poverty.
”Hello?” Lukas says gently. Could they still be alive and just hiding?
He approaches the foot under the bed, reaches out, and gives it a soft tug.
The man doesn't respond except for dragging his foot back under the bed.
Jebediah approaches carefully puts on his friendly most non threatening Halfling face and gets on his knees to look under the bed.
Hello there!I'm Jebediah and who are you?
The man peeks his head out. "You come to kill me?"
"Of course not, " Lukas replies. "We're here to sort out what happened in this place. Why did you block the door? Who was trying to kill you?"
Jebediah smiles the sweetest smile a halfling can muster and shakes his head.
Why don't you come out from underneath. We are emisary's of the mayor come to investigate.
The terrified servant crawls out and introduces himself as Mathezic. He informs you that his master was employing the kobolds to undermine the foundations of the Witch Tower after having been unable to remove it by legal means. Mathezic also tearfully reports that Hunclay had contact with many unsavory parties for his research, which Mathezic believes had to do with the stars.
"I figured that whoever killed Hunclay had come to kill us and take the rest of his stuff." Mathezic states.
"Any ideas who killed Hunclay?" Falzeal asks.
Yeah and who's us. And which stuff should they be interested in?
"Me and the other servants. Haven't seen em since the giant rumbling outside." Mathezic says. "All of the magical stuff around the house that was Hunclay's."
The servant turns to Falzeal. "I don't know. He was dealing with things from beyond the stars..."
Beyond the stars? Jebediah inquires as his eyes begin to sparkle.
Well, it's good he's still alive, but it seems this guy doesn't know much that'll help us.
"Well, you're free to go," Lukas says to Mathezic, "it's safe to walk out the front door now. We were sent to clear the house of any remaining dangers. Can you tell us about anything we should be careful of? I know the place is full of traps, do you know how to avoid or deactivate any of them?"
"His words, not mine. He had a fascination for the world beyond ours, hence the observatory on the second floor, but we weren't allowed in there." the man says to Jeb.
"Most of the traps were set by Hunclay in areas that we were not allowed to visit. Oddly, he mentioned that none of us were to enter his bedroom without him present. Seems an odd place for a trap. Could be other things though." he says with a hint towards the vulgar.
Ugh, I am NOT getting paid enough for this! Should we start with the bedroom then?
"Sounds to me like the bedroom may be the last place we want to go," counters Lukas. "Let's head back across the entry hall and see what's behind the door there."
He bids Mathezic goodbye and makes his way to the aforementioned door, where he gives it a careful look at listen.
Lukas finishes exploring the western wing of the first floor. To the north, the man finds a parlor. The northeast corner of this room holds a huge globe of Golarion cradled in a polished mahogany stand. Sextants, astrolabes, and paintings of unearthly landscapes are hung on the walls. After cataloguing this room, the group moves to the southern room.
This is clearly Hunclay's dining room. A long oak table is surrounded by matching, ornately carved chairs. On each wall hangs a large framed painting of a desert landscape.
It appears that the only option for the group is to either ascend or descend the stairs in the main room.
"Let's go upstairs," Lukas suggests. "I'm guessing the basement will be the worst part, and I'd rather check out the upstairs first."
He leads the way up the stairs, eyes and ears alert.
This lushly furnished library features three tall bookcases running north to south down the center of the chamber and another bookcase of iron in the northeast corner. A stuffed grizzly bear towers in the northwest corner, its claws and fangs bared aggressively. The east wall features sixteen paintings of various planets in gilt frames. A ladder in the west side of the ceiling leads up to a trapdoor.
The group begins to catalogue the books as a sharp needle jumps out and poisons Lukas.
As he recoils, he feels himself getting weaker.
Once this has passed, the group finds that there is a significant amount of books and there are some true gems amongst the bunch. There are 16 valuable tomes in the iron bookcase. Thirteen of these are extraordinarily rare books on subjects related to astronomy (worth 100 gp each). The remainder of the books in the library are all shelved on the wooden bookshelves. They number over 600, and are worth 800 gp in all. In addition, this library contains a normal book of extended summoning, a flesh golem manual, and a manual of war.
Jebediah is somewhat amazed at what all they are able to turn up in the library, especially that there are such rare and magically charged tests here as well.
Well that was definetly a worthwhile trip. Shall we check out the downstairs section or, wait what about the bedroom...
Lukas collapses to the floor, paralyzed and unconscious.
Jebediah comes to Lukas aid but realizes there is not much he can do to help just now.
Lukas drops to the floor, unable to move a muscle.
Falzeal kneels down next to Lukas, frowning. This is no good. What are going to do with him?"
Falzeal shakes his head. "I think we need to get him to a temple. I have a bit of coin left, yet."
As you approach the the local temple, you see that it is one of the Abadarian faith. The jingle of coins can be heard as you see trade goods and other valuables stacks against the wall. A balding man in his late fifties approaches you wearing the traditional grey frock of the priesthood. "How many I assist..." He sees the unconscious form of Lukas and quickly takes his pulse.
"Ah, not another dead one. Do you know what has afflicted him?" the man asks.