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Once the boat is brought over to the pier, you open the crate. The rescued crate holds a smaller mahogany box inside, which contains five books and a few loose sheets of paper in a leather folder. The titles and subjects seem completely unrelated to each other: Practical Thaumaturgy In Accordance with Creation, Geographic Anomalies of the Inner Sea, Under Kaer Maga: A Trial and Travel, Physiology of Dragons: An Illustrated Reference, Lost Sarusan. The leather folder contains cargo manifestos, warehouse inventories, and other financial logs from a dozen different merchant houses and trade guilds.
The crate also contains 10 sets of masterwork thieves’ tools, three flasks of alchemist’s fire, a flask of acid, a dozen jars of various inks, a footprint book, adamantine weapon blanch, three bags of powder, a deck of marked cards, and two sets of average loaded dice.
You return the books to Guaril Karela who thanks you and sends you on your way. What task is next for you, Pathfinders?
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On your way to visit the Paracountess, Boff feels like he is being watched. When he turns to see who is watching him, there is no one there but the crowd.
Arriving at Paracountess Zarta Dralneen’s townhouse in the Ivy District—one of several homes the noblewoman keeps around Absalom— you come upon a magnificent gothic structure three stories in height. The ebon lacquered double doors wrought with gleaming silver fixtures greet you, a prickly brass cone hanging from a chain serving as the door chime. Moments after ringing it, a servant in loose casual attire opens the door, greeting the Pathfinders as if expected. If questioned, the servant remains quiet, only responding when pressed, and then with only a few simple words: “My mistress will answer any questions you have once we reach her quarters.”
Led through well-appointed sitting rooms, ballrooms, and a grand stairway granting a view of an elaborate study, you finally arrive on the third floor of the house, at the door of Zarta’s personal study, which lies beyond her bedroom. Knocking upon the door and announcing his presence, the servant opens the darkly stained wooden door. A large intricate carpet dominates the marble floor in this sitting room. A chaise sits along the north wall and a desk spans the southeast corner, its chair positioned with its back to the southwest corner of the room. Three comfortable chairs are positioned around a small, low circular table.
Sitting in the chair behind the desk, Paracountess Zarta Dralneen regards you all with a wry smile, putting away a few papers before standing to address the hopeful Pathfinders. [/b]“Aldor, you are dismissed. Close the door behind you and attend to your other tasks.”[/b] She then turns her attention to the
group. “It’s always so incredibly adorable when I see a fresh-faced
batch of Pathfinders. I mean, look at you scrumptious little teacakes. I could eat each and every one of you up. Well, maybe not you.” Zarta points at Boff. “I assume this isn’t a pleasure visit since most of you are terribly overdressed for that manner of occasion, so that must mean you are here for that trinket Valsin has been nagging me about. Seems I can’t get that man around these parts anymore,”[b] she gestures,
sliding her hand down her body and widening the gesture to sweep out and across the room as if her home were a secondary thought. [b]“On the good side, he always sends me all the precious new recruits."
As the paracountess talks, a cacophony of booms and crashes sounds from beyond the room’s west door. She pauses at an extended eruption of these noises. Zarta explains, “A servant is greatly misbehaving. You’re going to have to deal with it in order to get the trinket.” She goes over to the desk in her study, opening a drawer and drawing out an exquisite silver letter opener shaped like a dagger (treat as a masterwork silver dagger). “You might need this to get it to submit,” she offers with a sly grin.
“Many think we in Cheliax serve and worship devils, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, we use the creatures for their power. They serve us and we sculpt their power in our own interests. The world must come to terms with the order of things. People need to know their place and operate accordingly. It is the only way to make order from this world. Too many people stretch too far beyond their station, making waves and eroding the true order. Any questions, my scrumptious little Pathfinders?”[/b]
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Rutilus just shifts his feet uncomfortably, but says nothing. In his mind he was trying to remember what he had available that could help them deal with creature of Cheliax. As could be expected, he could not remember any. So he just stood and waited, listening intently to Paracountess responses and trying to make some sense of it all.
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Zarta giggles at Derik. "Why of course I have no further need of it, else I wouldn't be sending you in there to deal with it." She turns to Marcus next, "It is an imp.""Are you already?" she inquires. Zarta tells you that the trinket is a chest with seven locks. She explains that she was trying to bypass the protections. She advises not trying to tamper with the case when bringing it back to the Grand Lodge. She tells you the box is magically warded with abjuration magic intermingled with strong evocation magic, in addition to the seven masterwork locks. "Are you already?" she inquires, as she leads you inter her bedroom.
Zarta’s bedroom is decorated in the colors of Cheliax—ebon black and crimson red. Silk, rare woods, and carefully carved marble compose every bit of furniture in the room. Goose down now litters the room, covering almost every surface and the silken shreds of the cushions that contained it lie about like flayed skin . A post on the massive screened bed is snapped in half, collapsed on the bed and drawing the screened curtains into a ripped slope of formerly fine cloth. Vials of perfume and crystal jars of other cosmetics sit smashed on the marble floor around the dresser. A prominent fixture in the room, a large “X” made of stout wood sits along the west wall, complete with leather shackles and chains. A table sits to its left strewnwith various items intended for pleasure, but outwardly resembling implements of pain. The imp is in the corner with a chest in his hands that he is attempting to smash against anything he can find and screaming.
COMBAT ROUND 1
Marcus
Eolowyn
Rutilus
Imp
Derik
Boff
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Derik tries to put aside his hatred for such creatures. We can come away from this without killing, and that is almost always better." he riminds himself.
Derik holds his hands out, palms facing upwards as a sign of peace, to demonstrate his hands are empty of any weapons. "Little imp, I do not know why you wish to destroy the box, but we have been tasked with returning this item to its true owner. We do not wish to fight you, Give us the box and we shall let you leave in peace."
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Marcus approaches the imp and swings at it with his falchion. The powerful blow connects with the tiny devil, leaving a large gash across it's torso. Rutilus reaches out to touch the creature, but the imp was still reeling away from the blow Marcus dealt it. The imp stabs out at Marcus with its clawed hand, but his sting is deflected by the ranger's armor.
Boff then takes the opportunity to swing at the extraplanar enemy, who barely dodges the blow.
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Derik draws the silver dagger as he approaches the creature and aims a quick stab at its torso.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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"Yes. It is. " says Derik. He walks over to the lady, places the dagger on the desk without saying a word and walks out.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Paracountess Zarta Dralneen looks pleased with you all for completing the task, yet you detect a small amount of disappointment as you depart. "Oh, do come back and see me scrumptious little Pathfinders! Perhaps a pleasure visit next time?" she calls after you.
As you make your way to the Wise quarter, Yugatta feels as though she is being watched. When she tuns to see, however, the feeling disappears as quickly as it came.
You arrive at the property of Grand Councilmember Dremdhet Salhar, and are greeted by a guard, who is evidently expecting you. He leads you past the gates to a servant.
"Greetings, Pathfinders," the servant says. "Unfortunately, the Grand Councilmember is unavailable at this time. However, I will take you to his most trusted advisor, who can handle whatever business needs doing." he continues as he leads you through grandoise hallways filled with expensive artifacts.
After a few minutes, the servant leads you into a simple study at the end of a large hallway. A tanned-skinned old man motions you all into the room as he closes the book he was reading. Once you are all inside the study, he addressses the group. “Good day to you, Pathfinders. I am Amenopheus, the Sapphire Sage, advisor to Master Salhar. I understand you were sent here to discuss archaeological permissions. Knowing this was coming, I spoke with Master Salhar at length on the subject and have this to say.
“Since Osirion was reopened to exploration a decade ago, adventurers, historians, and treasure-seekers flock to my country by the hundreds, perhaps thousands. While most families with ancestral burial vaults maintain guards and keep their sites out of the hands of casual thieves, not all families have the wealth or power to restrict everyone, and as we all know, not every defense is perfectly secure. Unscrupulous tomb robbers and maligned merchant organizations cause Osirion to bleed relics into the Inner Sea—something the descendents of Ancient Osirion cannot afford. We Osiriani have thousands of years of rich history coursing through our veins, and while that power has been out of focus in recent years, we are content to wait, knowing our enemies will wear themselves down. As they fall into arrogance, folly, or greed, we wait for our return to power, knowing we bear the riches of our ancestors at our feet.
“Master Salhar remains impressed by the Pathfinder Society, orating in their favor a handful of times in front of Absalom’s Grand Council, in fact. Due to previous relationships between him and the Society, Master Salhar has agreed to grant permission to the Pathfinder Society to explore his family’s vaults below Sothis. The only thing he requires is that you retrieve the map of the vaults from his own vault here. The servant will lead you to the basement and show you the room.” The Sapphire Sage’s eyes twinkle as he smirks knowingly, then he turns back to reading his book as though he had never been disturbed.
The servant brings the group back through the spacious estate, leading you down sturdy stone steps into the cool basement. Down a hallway, after a couple turns, the party ends up at a plain wooden door. The servant opens the door, gesturing to the room with a bow, and waits silently for you to enter. If questioned, he remains silent and stoic. The plain stone room contains three chests: a copper-banded chest of smooth, dark wood; a red lacquered chest; and what looks to be a cube of solid steel. Behind the chests sits a low table holding a clear glass jar half full of liquid and a covered wicker basket Once you are all in the room, he closes the door, and locks it behind you. On the back of the door is a message, “Within these cases lies your quest and your way out.”
Wicker Basket
This 2-foot-round wicker basket requires no key to open, its lid resting gently atop its wide rim. Inside, a blue stone key rests atop a pile of crumpled linens.
You are fairly certain that there is a snake hidden under the cloth inside the basket. You cannot disable this trap.
Glass Jar
This gallon-sized clear glass jar is about half full with clear liquid. At the bottom of the vessel sits a jeweled brass key.
The liquid in the jar is not water, but acid.
Copper-Banded Chest
This is a wooden chest with copper bands, and a sturdy looking lock.
Red Lacquered Chest
This smooth, red lacquered chest looks devious. The solid metal plate surrounding the gaping keyhole pulses with glowing amber runes.
Steel Chest
This steel cube has only the faintest crack where its lid meets the base, and would be completely featureless save for its narrow keyhole.
There is a trap on this chest.
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As you insert the jeweled brass key in the lock on the copper chest, the chest disappears, revealing itself to be not only an illusion, but empty.
Eolowyn tries the key in the copper banded chest, which doesn't open. When she puts it in the lock of the red lacquered chest, it just keeps spinning without doing anything.
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"What manner of magic is this and what place are we trapped in? " he says with concern drawing his sword.
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"Disappear? No. But I have a grappling hook and rope made of hemp. You may have them of they are of use." He extracts the items from his backpack and offers them to her.
-Posted with Wayfinder