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Malik checks his crossbow, but keeps his morningstar and dagger. He looks around the room in the tavern at all the interesting people, orders two whiskies and sits with the comatose Gnome, placing one cup in front of him and one in front of himself.
Called to action, he thanks the Gnome for the thrilling conversation and follows. "Charming amenities you have here." he says, crossing the fissured room.
The plank creaks and groans, and you fear it might break with enough weight. How much is hard to say...
The pit is a tight, 10-foot-deep chasm.
As you enter the back cellar, you see a variety of bottles scattered on the shelves, but on is prominent on the top shelf by itself. You assume that is the bottom Dreng desires based on the directions Heryn gave you.
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Simon stops in his tracks. "Dreng sent you to the Plane of Shadow?" He rushes to catch up, "Seriously ... you've been to the Plane of Shadow?"
[dice=Perception]1d20 + 6
In a manner of sorts--some fetchlings completed a ritual to create a rift between the two planes at the Blakros Museum. It was...unsettling.
Pulling on the bottle triggers a secret door to open, right next to you. (See updated Basement Map)
Beyond the door is a room. A sturdy silver chain jutting from the ceiling ends in a glowing orb that radiates yellow light across the rectangular room. A simple desk of polished wood, stacked with documents and scattered notes, shelters a pair of wooden chests against the south wall. A series of cracks along the eastern and western walls form makeshift entrances into exposed caverns.
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Simon can't help but give the group a wide-eyed grin. "Oh. Yah!"
He fishes a copper from his belt pouch and whispers to it. Light blossoms from it, and then he tosses it into the center of the next room, trying to mKe sure there are no shadows for ambushers to use against them. Then he cat-pads forward to hide in the entrance while he gives the hidden room a visual once-over.
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"Was that the same Museum that stole and desecrated of holy artifacts from Mwangi? That museum needs new administration," says N'Neka, her mood turning suddenly. "Mwangi is not a treasure chest for Avistan to go sticking its hand in whenever it wants," she mutters.
I agree, but in their defense, the Blakros' exploitation is not limited to the Mwangi Expanse. They traded generations of their own daughters to the fetchlings in exchange for wealth and influence, only now having a change of heart. In truth, I find it surprising the Pathfinder Society counts them as allies.
"Now, is this someone's private office? Why would Dreng send us to this particular bottle? Is it the right one?" Malik asks.
The man seems fond of practical jokes. I suppose that even applies to official missions. This can't be a coincidence.
After Simon peeks his head into the hidden room, Zuriel cautiously approaches the desk and chests and searches for anything that might be of value to Dreng.
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"I should have suspected something else was motivating Dreng." Baddacus says, clearly impressed with the discovery of the secret chamber. "You can't drink your way to being a Venture Captain."
Moving to the desk, he examines the contents. "I'm not much of a scholar. Anyone here able to sort this out and tell us why it's important?"
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At Cathis’s nudge, Simon shoot shim a scowl and a whispered, ”After you.”
He waits until more teammates have entered the room—especially Cathis—before he does so himself, giving the room a paranoid look around before he reclaims his glowing copper and makes his way to the desk and chest.
He mutters a few strange words, watching the desk, chest, and their contents for any magical auras before he decides whether or not it’s smart to begin looking in ernest.
As you start to examine the desk, fate has some adventure in store for you.
Shame on you - I told you not to look!
A long limbed aberration stumbles (literally) out of one of the dark crevices, intent on attacking Baddacus. However, the party sees the clumsy attack in progress, and are able to move first.
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Simon responds quick as lightning, pulling what looks like a pinch of butter from a pouch on his belt and squeezing it between his fingers as he points and shouts.
There is a strange pop as a bolt of energy leaps from his fingers, zips past Baddacus and the creature, and splatters against the floor behind it … leaving a sheen of slick goo.
Simon does recall this creature to be a choker, a long-limbed, light weight, uncaring beast barely more intelligent than an animal. It gets the name from the fact that it likes to grab people by the neck and choke them. He also knows that they can climb extremely well, and are very quick (extra move action each round). Given his knowledge, he casts grease to impede escape, and makes sure to cover the walls as well as the floor in that area.
The cloaker manages to keep its footing. (However, as far as I can tell, he is still considered flat-footed).
Zuriel tries throwing a chakram at the monster, and manages to hit it, causing a severe wound. Baddacus follows up with a vicious swing, and the creature is all but done for. N'Neka misses, and Cathis causes a flash of light to disorient the intruder.
Malik uses his wand, and the party feels blessed.
Temporarily dazzled, the choker shakes its head, thinking perhaps this wasn't the best way to get an easy meal. However, hunger still drives it to attack both Baddacus and Cathis.
Both attacks fail.
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”It’s a CHOKER!” Simon whoops excitedly, ”Cunning but weak-minded!”
He pauses to pull something else out of his component ouch, this time what looks like black sheep’s wool. Blue light traces up the tattoos on his wrist as he points at the creature and once again shouts.
Then he picks back up on his running description of the thing, ”It’s fast, and don’t let those arms wrap around you … “Choker’s” not just a cute name!”
It ignores the daze.
Round 2: (Bold characters may act)
Simon
Zuriel
Baddacus
N'Neka
Cathis
Malik
Monster (damaged: 15 hp, dazzled for 1 minute)
The choker is quickly dispatched.
With the creatures defeated, you can properly examine the files on the desk. The papers chronicle the personal exploits of Selmius Foster, a famous Pathfinder whose name you recognize from your training as Pathfinder agents. Most of Foster’s more infamous adventures appear here in varying amounts of detail, but it is evident there is another investigation he had been pursuing before he died: the lost records of a Society agent named Eylysia.
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”HA!” Simon barks as the creature is put down, and he gives Baddacus an appreciative grin, ”'Choke on this' … nice.”
He takes a moment to go and inspect the choker close-up, pulling his morningstar to curiously poke and prod its aberrant limbs. ”Never actually seen one of these,” he mutters as he inspects the inside of its choking hands, ”pretty fascinating … and gross.”
Finally, he makes his way over to the desk, where he scans each document multiple times … his eyes flitting from word to word at an astonishing pace.
He mutters as he thinks and reads, ”You guys think Dreng knew about this place? I mean … he just happened to ask for the one bottle of wine that was actually a lever to a secret room holding an unsolved riddle from the days of the Society’s founding? Seems more than a little coincidental, if you ask me.” He seems thrilled at the prospect of being in on such a mystery.
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He takes a moment to go and inspect the choker close-up, pulling his morningstar to curiously poke and prod its aberrant limbs. ”Never actually seen one of these,” he mutters as he inspects the inside of its choking hands, ”pretty fascinating … and gross.”
"Indeed..." Cathis adds, indicating a rogue bit of viscera decorating Baddacus' shoulder.
He mutters as he thinks and reads, ”You guys think Dreng knew about this place?
"That I don't know, but I'm sure he'd want to hear that someone has been tampering with the Wall of Names."
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"Simon, it seems like Dreng wanted us to be here. It did seem like an odd mission for six people to retrieve one bottle…" N'Neka peers over the documents.
"So, a gnome named Eylysia was hiding something? And adding names to the Wall of Names? And there's something in this fellow Arkath's tomb." The druid scratches her head, trying to make sense of it all.
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I suppose it's not surprising that a man who poses as a beggar would "accidentally" point us in the direction of a mystery.
Zuriel retrieves his chakram and paces around the room, vigilant for any other threats.
Still, this is a matter of great importance to the Society--we should explore further. It shouldn't be too hard to locate Arkath's exact resting place. And we have Fimbrik's address her somewhere. Either of these would be a good place to start, but for my part I'd prefer to seek an old gnome's house over a mausoleum.
Simon recalls much information about Selmius Foster, who is a Pathfinder of some fame now, but nothing that seems likely of importance here.
He also recalls that Eylysia was among the first members of the Society, a well-traveled gnome explorer who shared many a drink with the now-famous Durvin Gest and Selmius Foster.
He cannot recall any other details, however, and none of the last three names ring a bell.
You are able to locate the Arcanamirium, and find the address in the notes.
A brick step leads to Fimbrik’s front entrance. 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.
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Simon stands (once again soaking) in front of the gnome’s house. He tries for the hundredth time to wipe his hair from his face … a war he is constantly losing.
”Well, this is the gnome’s home.” His eyes drift down to the mountainous stacks of old newspapers. ”Someone should call the druids on this guy.” He grins widely over at N’Neka, ”The man’s waging war on the local tree population.”
As he considers what he knows of Fimbrik, he skulks around the side of the house … taking a quiet circuit of the place to peer in all the windows.