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"We gnomes are masters of illusion. If there is one thing I know, it is this: There is no illusion where you point good sir. . ." Eponine does not seem to believe her own statement, however; "Just to be sure there is no door, I propose a small explosive of some kind. I think I can whip something together in just a day or so..."
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"You say there is no obvious means to open the door?" Alarin ponders a moment. "Perhaps we have gotten ahead of ourselves. Adolphus' notes said that the stonemason Arkath had a "Key clue" buried with him in his mausoleum. It could be an actual key required to open the door here. Otherwise, we might need to use some force here."
Alarin looks back through the doors to see if the crowds have gotten worked up enough to cover the sound of a little vandalism.
Pushing on the door has no effect, but looking about the room more you find that the name plate slides to the side. Behind the name plate is a small chalkboard with a broken piece of chalk.
The crowds outside are getting fairly rowdy but there are still a few acolytes in the building with you.
Nothing that Muzhaa'f tries seems to work.
"Perhaps we have gotten ahead of ourselves. Adolphus' notes said that the stonemason Arkath had a "Key clue" buried with him in his mausoleum. It could be an actual key required to open the door here."
Details left by Selmius Foster indicate the location of Arkath’s burial site: a plot of land in Eastgate operated by the church of Asmodeus. A fence surrounds the necropolis grounds, and although members of the faith and city guards routinely patrol the property, it is still legal to enter the grounds to respect the departed. While the gates into the necropolis are left open to those paying their respects, the doors of the mausoleums are sealed with sturdy stone slabs.
A stocky priest of Asmodeus, whom you note is missing several fingers, paces near the mausoleum you seek.
The man straightens up and looks down at you as you approach him. He frowns and doesn't look happy to see you, at least until Sindre mentions money. "A donation, eh? Well, for 50 gp I can let you in and look the other way, sure." the priest replies.
"So, how'd you lose those fingers?"
"You probably don't want to find out."
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"I am certain your god would be displeased with the unlawful act of bribery. If I may ask," Muzhaa'f says curtly, "what law forbids us from paying our respects without your greedy interference?" It has been many ages since Sarenrae allied with Asmodeus, and Muzhaa'f does not care to be overly polite.
"Fifty is a whole lot! Surely, your church allows visits for slightly less?"
He shrugs. "Sure. But I gotta get paid too, you know what I mean?"
"what law forbids us from paying our respects without your greedy interference?"
"Seein' as I'm the one in charge and you're the ones needin' my favor, seems like I'm the one that gets to make the rules, right? And I say it'll cost you 50 gold to get in here. If you want it that badly, better pay up."
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Mylitta frowns at the large price, and is determined that she could knock that down if she truly wanted. Fluttering her eyelashes, she steps forward, lightly clasping the priest on the arm. "Oh dear, 50 Gold sounds like far too much for friends like myself...surely you could arrange a more private viewing?"
The man simply frowns. "I think you folks better leave." He looks over at one of the guards for a second and the guard starts meandering over to see what the problem is.
"It's Asmodeus. But you've got the right idea." the thug priest responds as he takes the platinum from Hironaki.
The interior of Arkath’s sarcophagus is empty save for the stonemason’s long-dead skeleton. Inspecting the corpse you discover a small silver coin inside the skeleton’s mouth.
PATHFINDER’S COIN PRICE
1,500 GP
SLOT none CL 3rd WEIGHT — lbs.
Aura faint divination
This apparently simple coin, usually styled to resemble ancient currency, hides intricate gold and platinum wires within. This matrix, carefully modeled after fragmentary Azlanti coins, causes the Pathfinder’s coin to rise an inch into the air and slowly spin in place if placed atop a wayfinder. In addition, when levitating above a wayfinder, the coin can be given a message of 25 words or fewer. This message repeats in the speaker’s voice the next time the coin is floated above a wayfinder. Only one message may be stored at a time, and once it is triggered, the message is expended and a new one may be recorded.
The Pathfinder's coin levitates and rotates above the wayfinder and a gravely voice begins to speak out from it.
The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more.
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Muzhaa'f takes out his journal and inkpen before Alarin sets the coin on his wayfinder, writing furiously when the message is read out. "Got it!" he exclaims, just a few seconds after the message finished.
"Well, it looks like we've discovered the key, if not the exact word we need. Perhaps the Fimbrik lead will tell us. Shall we pay a visit to his home, or to the Arcanimirium itself? There are some friends of the Society there."
16th Abadius, 4715 AR
Stationed at Grande Lodge in Absalom, in the company of five Pathfinders: Sindre Oddrson, an Ulfen mage; Mylitta Ianna, a dancer with elven blood; Hironaki, a decidedly strange character of pale-blue complexion; Alarin Tempestborn, an air-touched genie-kin; and Eponine Lokrien Savet, a gnomish chemist. Received orders to deliver mundane package (libations) for Venture-Captain Drandle Dreng. Suspected chicanery, but traveled to the Wounded Wisp bar--the very same of Pathfinder fame--on Dreng's business. Met Aram bin Kaleel, fellow Pathfinder and devotee of Sarenrae, for pleasant conversation.
Followed Heryn Gale, proprietor, to cellar to retrieve Dreng's package--a vintage more than 400 years in age. Discovered that the bottle is, in fact, a disguised lever, which revealed a secret passage leading deeper beneath the establishment into some abandoned ancient room.
<sketch of bottle, door, and lever mechanic>
Discovered a desk covered in aging papers in the room beyond. Attacked by a pair of festrogs, whose origin is yet unknown. Destroyed them with fire and steel.
<map of area, measurements taken with measuring cord>
Among the papers, owned by Selmius Foster and his assistant Adolphus, discovered an unfinished task begun shortly before the death of both. It appears that Eylysia, a fellow Pathfinder, has hidden some of her discoveries and knowledge from the rest of the Society. Decided to undertake Foster's incomplete mission.
<copied note from Foster>
<copied note from Adolphus>
Foster and Adolphus left three leads: a stonemason named Arkath, an elusive gnome wizard of the Arcanamirium named Fimbrik, and three false names etched into the Wall of Names. Decided to follow the third clue first and departed for Skyreach, taking all papers with us.
Deposited papers with Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin for safekeeping. Consulted the Wall of Names. Hironaki established that the false names are also the names of Failed Aspirants of the Shrine of the Failed Aspirant: the Muted God, Silmor, and Malleg.
Consulted the Shrine of the Failed Aspirant. Discovered a hidden door (covered by an illusion) in the shrine to the Muted God, but could not open it as it had no handle, knob, or lock, and did not open when forced. Discovered a hidden chalkboard behind a hidden nameplate; undoubtedly this has something to do with the door. Tried a number of possibilities; all failed.
<sketch of shrine, door, illusion, nameplate, and chalkboard; measurements taken with measuring cord>
Pursued the Arkath lead next, which led to a mausoleum in the Ivy District, run by corrupt priests of Asmodeus. Hironaki paid them off, permitting us a private investigation. Discovered a coin in Arkath's crypt, which Alarin identified as a Pathfinder's coin. Its message read: "The path and chamber are complete, hidden behind the nameplate of the requested aspirant and guarded by the word you requested. Fimbrik will add more."
<sketch of Arkath's crypt, interior and exterior, measurements taken with measuring coin (interior only)>
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Sindre nods and hands Hironaki 10 gp. "I am sorry I cannot give you more," he says.
"So...I guess Arkath was hired to build a secret chamber in the Arcanamirium, and then Fimbrik added something," says the sorcerer. "I wonder if it's Eylysia's storage room for..something. The fake names are there to tell...someone...where to get it. Who and what are they? Whatever is in there is centuries old, unless it's something...someone...is replenishing. Hmmmmmmm," he says in his drawn-out Ulfen way.
Foster's notes record Fimbrik's address, which is on the campus of the Arcanamirium in Absalom's Wise Quarter. The home itself is an impresses stone dwelling reminiscent of what one might expect from an eccentric wizard's home.
A brick step leads to Fimbrik's front entrance, which is locked. Numerous stacks of newspapers-roughly 2 years' worth of monthly copies-are piled around the door and crammed into a thin slot at its base. Each rounded corner of the building has a large window.
Alarin and Hironaki notice nothing unusual about the door except that it is locked. The lock seems simple and rusted.
Alarin moves around to the western window and looks in on Fimbrik's bedroom. Fimbrik is peacefully sleeping in the bed with two muscle-bound men standing watch.
Next Alarin checks on the eastern window and looks on the study, where Fimbrik peruses his book collection, moving back and forth scanning the bookshelves.
The lock on the front door appears to be a simple lock that has rusted with age.
Muzhaa'f finds an easier way to pick the lock and lets himself in!
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.