Ziranu awaits this further reflection on what he already now perceives needs to transpire, then grimly nods at Shaeda's conclusion and prepares to move out.
"Zhe mob is on our side, Searok; zhey come for zhe usurper queen and her treacherous servants, such as zhis devil wizhin Togomor. Still, we cannot let zhem distract us from zhe ultimate prey of our hunt...too much depends upon our success..."
"Yes, I'm afraid I will not be very popular with them, as a known associate of the queen. This body is, at any rate."
"You still require more of me, eh? I wonder how exactly you'd stop me if I simply left Togomor right now. Still, I must admit, it irks me somewhat to "leave money on the table" as it were. That disembodied spirit has valuable information, which I have been unable to get. I have been mulling ways to catch and interrogate him, but none have been practical. Still, if I'm helping you get this knowledge, then you are helping me. Very well, one last roll of the dice before I leave this plane. Barnabus!"
The imp, which has been plucking its banjo while lounging in a fruit bowl all this time, stops playing and snaps to attention. "Yes, boss?"
"To me, please. We will attempt the scheme we discussed, with an alteration. You will accompany these adventurers on their quest. Serve them well."
He turns to you. "I've been trying to find a way to speak to the spirit without him fleeing at my approach. My best idea thus far has been to use Barnabus here. I can see through his eyes. And with this item..." He dons a fancy looking glove with a gemstone embedded in the palm. "I can cast a spell through him so long as he carries the crystal attuned to this one. I thought Forcecage would be appropriate to contain a ghost for a while. But Barnabus isn't an able enough combatant to fight his way through the dangers ahead, and Ileosa had other bound devils at her command who could see him skulking about invisibly, so a stealthy approach wouldn't work either. If you will serve as the muscle in this venture, and deliver him to the ghost, he can imprison it long enough for you to use its remains as a bargaining chip and get the information we both seek. Agreed?"
"Aye, well, I don’t like it one bit," Shaeda mutters, "but it seems we've been blown off course and into your wake. I reckon we’ve no choice but to chart this course if we want the information." She eyes Barnabus warily before continuing.
"We’ll be your muscle, but don’t mistake us for fools. I’ll be watchin' your little friend here like a hawk on a clear day. One wrong step, and he’ll be swimmin' in the deep before he knows it."
"That said, we’ll sail this path for now. Just be sure you hold up your end of the bargain, or I’ll have words for you before we drop anchor."
Ziranu's lip snarls unconsciously at the prospect of the imp - a devil, itself - accompanying them for any length of time as anything except perhaps a dead trophy used as a deterrent factor. Nonetheless, he nods silently to "Togomor" in agreement, his mind reluctantly accepting the temporary arrangement in sacrifice to their strategic objective...
Still, the Ranger cannot help but once again deeply consider the devil's own potential unspoken ulterior motives, if any...
It's quite likely Togomor has ulterior motives for doing this, although if the backstory he gave you is correct, then it might indeed simply be greed and a desire to get a hold of valuable secrets that have long been denied to him. If there really is a ghost haunting the attic that knows them, and taking the imp will help you get them, it helps Togomor get them as well.
"Aye, mates, sometimes we find ourselves caught in a tempest, forced to navigate waters we never charted on our maps. It's in these moments we must anchor ourselves to unexpected allies," Shaeda begins, her nautical brogue smooth as the calm after a storm.
"As it says in Blood For Wine, Verse 7," her voice shifts subtly, adopting a more reverent tone, perhaps echoing the cadence of her mentor who taught her the sacred passage.
"As the ship sails through stormy seas
With unpredictable winds that tease,
Forge alliances with the unseen,
In darkness, triumph's keys convene."
"That passage has guided me through many a rough voyage. So, let's set our sails towards this uneasy alliance, trusting that it steers us closer to our true north."
Searok is solely disappointed that he won't be fighting the mob or killing the imp!
Tronar listens quietly to the endless negotiation, all the while having his counterspell finger on the trigger so to speak.
"I have nothing to add. Just let me know when we are concluded with this on."
"If you are going to leave this body to us and there is a chance, he will be less than pleased or even hostile towards you and us, would you permit me to apply a non-lethal leash that we may control him when you depart? specifically if you are Arcane inclined, a Limp Lash until his stats have been consumed."
Gundar's mood sours as he realizes he's not going to fight the devil, Togomor or the crowd!
Ziranu is likewise dour and restless, at the thought of the devil escaping judgment at the end of his arrows...
Tronar will step to within 10' of the husk possessed by the devil and cast a limp lash spell
Togomor collapses onto the bed. Just before he does, you see a shadow emerge from him and fly out the window.
"Zhat was indeed a good plan wizh zhe spell, zhough how I wanted to slay zhat devil... Still, zhis is now anozher opportunity to learn more of zhe true prey in zhis hunt, zhe usurper queen herself. Shaeda, hopefully you can get more intelligence extracted from zhis sack of arcane flesh before us, perhaps wizh Searok's devastating intimidation capabilities..."
"This one seems compliant now. I suggest we remove weapons and anything that might be used against us." Tronar will maintain the leash to keep the target paralyzed.
"As for you, what do you have to say? Is there any valuable information you can offer before we decide your fate?"
"Alright Barnabus, give us your side of the story. Start with how you got wrapped up with Togomor, and go from there. All the way down to how you can help us with this haunted castle and Ileosa problem!"
The corpulent man's eyes widen, flecks of spit fly from his mouth as he starts raving.
"The worm! The horrible three-faced worm! He watches still! He's seen so much! He made me watch too! Contract! Written with my own unwilling hand! Proof of it all...hidden in plain sight!" He coughs and retches. "In...the tower...Domina tower...secret door..."
The tubby imp watches him impassively.
"Togomor clearly isn't long for this world, being possessed was basically all that's holding him together. Poor sucker. Doubt he'll enjoy the next world much, either."
Barnabus turns toward you. "Surely you know this city is lousy with imps, I got here the same way we all do, summoned by Academae students who want to prove they can do it, then basically turned out into the street. Togomor was the rare one who actually wanted a familiar. He was a lazy lump even then, always searching for shortcuts to power. Suited me fine, I owned his soul within a week. In return, I led him to tomes on a rare type of magic called Hemotheurgy, colloquially known as "Bloatmagery". The idea is that blood contains life force, so if you have more blood you can contain more power. That's why he looks like that. Well, that and a diet that would shame a circus elephant. Man's a tick about to pop."
He pulls out a tiny nail file from somewhere and calmly begins to give himself a manicure.
"It made him powerful, but like all foolish mortals (and quite a few foolish immortals) he wanted more. Was searching for more advanced blood magic when we ran into Sermignatto. That's the boss what just left. We were raiding the same tomb, looking for some lost lore of Sorshen's that might have been buried with one of her servants. Wasn't much if I recall, a serious bust, so naturally both wizard and fiend weren't happy to find they had competition to share with. They fought, Togomor lost. Begged for his life, even offered up his soul. Ah, but his soul wasn't his own, it was mine. So I traded up bosses, got a cushy new gig, and Sermignatto got a nice flesh-suit to slip into. Don't feel too bad for old Toggy, he would have sold his mother for a bacon cheeseburger. And likely died 20 years ago if Sermignatto hadn't wanted to keep his investment safe."
Sure enough, Togomor is clearly dying. You could try to assist him, but magic isn't going to do much to combat decades of self-abuse.
Once he expires, Barnabas looks thoughtful. "Secret door in the tower, eh? I might know what he was talking about. He and the queen, by which I mean the boss-wearing-him and the queen, used to go to the tower to plot and negotiate. I wasn't allowed in, had to wait outside. But I do know he sent me back here once because he forgot...ah yes".
Barnabas flies over to the rapidly cooling wizard. He tries to pull a signet ring off his finger. "Come! - On! - Why won't it! - Sheesh, how did he ever forget it, I'm amazed he could take this thing off those sausages without use of a Grease spell.". Finally he just bites off the finger and presents it to you. "There. A key, I expect."
None of this stuff would be difficult to identify for you, so I'll just list it.
Scroll of break enchantment, scroll of greater dispel magic, scroll of greater teleport, scrolls of stoneskin (2), scroll of wall of force (CL 10th), staff of evocation (10 charges), handy haversack, headband of vast intelligence +4 (grants ranks in Acrobatics and Use Magic Device), necklace of adaptation, spell component pouch, 20 gp, 12 cp.
Ziranu will gladly keep the headband and the necklace close at-hand, and place the remainder of the findings other than those Tronar finds useful within the haversack to carry.
"Zhere is no furzher sport in zhis hunt; shall we quickly recover zhe remains from below?"
"Well I believe there remain two unexplored doors on this level that we may want to clear before heading down below."
Tronar points to the one right next to the group.
This is an old guardroom, currently not in use. There are doors to the east and south, a set of stairs leading down, and a short stairway leading up to some sort of office area.
Right hand rule. Tronar guides the group to the door on the right.
Ziranu moves to the southern door, and searches it specifically for threats or anomalies...
, +2 more if dealing with undead or dragons; +4 more if dealing with evil outsiders; +6 more if dealing with humans; and +7 more if trapfinding is applicable.
No traps, the door is unlocked, and a layer of dust suggests that nobody has used it in some time.
This small room seems to be some sort of archive; on the wall opposite the door is storage for vellum, paper, and writing implements. The other two walls are fitted with shelves that sag with rows of books and scrolls.
This simple records room looks like it has carefully filed documents going back decades, logging every decree, treaty, trade deal, and major event in Korvosa's history dating back through the last several monarchs...right up until Ileosa. The most recent document filed here is a simple proclamation announcing her rise to the throne. Despite the multitude of notable incidents that has occurred in the city since, nothing seems to have been kept here.
Sensible if you've been up to activities that you wouldn't want to leave a paper trail.
After a thorough search of the room, Ziranu steps out and moves to the eastern door, and searches it as well for threats or anomalies...
, +2 more if dealing with undead or dragons; +4 more if dealing with evil outsiders; +6 more if dealing with humans; and +7 more if trapfinding is applicable.
This one is just another Garderobe, probably connected to the one you found before.
Ziranu finds that the door up the stairs to the north is locked. Further, somebody has trapped it. Anyone attempting to stick a key or pick in the obvious lock will have their hand jabbed by a spring-loaded needle within.
The real lock is cleverly hidden, shaped and painted to look like a knot in the wood of the door.
Before Ziranu goes to disable the trap, Shaeda will grant him a Blessing of Luck...
Ziranu nods in silent appreciation for the Blessing of Luck, as he focuses in on the mechanisms of the true lock...
, +2 more if dealing with undead or dragons; +4 more if dealing with evil outsiders; +6 more if dealing with humans; and +7 more if trapfinding is applicable.
, +2 more if dealing with undead or dragons; +4 more if dealing with evil outsiders; +6 more if dealing with humans; and +7 more if trapfinding is applicable.
Ziranu nods once again in silent appreciation for the Blessing of Luck, recalibrating his mindset as he focuses in on the actual mechanisms of the true lock to open it...
The lock clicks open.
This room contains two well-equipped writing desks with comfortable armchairs and matching lecterns. A large map of Korvosa hangs on one wall over a wooden box full of rolled parchments, and in the south corner, stairs ascend.
This is a scriptorium, used for scribes to create official documents. Like the archives, it seems Ileosa hasn't been very diligent in keeping it operational, with the last work done in Korvosa being the commisioning of 4 statues of herself.
Outside Korvosa however there does seem work being done. For some reason there's a recent map of the Eastern Mushfens, highlighting a starting point called Greenrust Reef and a path from there called the Trail of the Frog, with a destination at the end unlabeled but circled. The exact meaning is unclear.
The other maps in this room are also rather high quality, and would sell for a decent amount.
"Aye, this be a scriptorium, but it looks like it’s seen better days," Shaeda mutters as she steps into the room, her keen eyes sweeping across the desks, maps, and rolled parchments. She pauses for a moment, her gaze lingering on the map of the Eastern Mushfens and its curious markings. "Greenrust Reef... Trail o' the Frog... and what's this now? A destination, circled but nameless? Looks like someone’s been plotting somethin’ outside o’ Korvosa. Could be worth findin' out what."
Turning toward Tronar, she gestures toward the room. "Tronar, do us a favor and give this place a good magical sweep. Let’s see if Ileosa left any arcane breadcrumbs behind."
With a nod toward Ziranu, she adds, "And you, Ziranu, search this place proper-like. The maps, the desks, maybe that box of parchments in the corner. There might be a key to what the queen’s been schemin’."
Finally, she glances toward Thurrios and Searok. "You two, keep yer eyes peeled. I don’t fancy gettin’ caught with our sails down if someone comes sniffin’ about. Searok, you hear anythin’ that smells like trouble, I expect you’ll let us know... loudly." She flashes the dwarf a quick grin before turning back to her own observations of the room.
Shaeda moves closer to the highlighted map of the Eastern Mushfens, her brow furrowing as she studies its path. "Could be nothin’, or it could be somethin’ big. Either way, I’m bettin’ we’ll need to know what’s at the end o' this trail. Best not let it slip past us."