GM Lorenzo's #4-11: The Disappeared (Subtier 4-5) (Inactive)

Game Master Lawrence Smith 2

"Oh, um...okay..." Fran mumbles as first Lady Vanessa and then Einn casually saunter into the bedroom like it's no big deal. Feeling a little embarrassed for being so hesitant, Fran follows as well, taking a quick look around.

"Whoever is working to redecorate these rooms sure has been working quickly," she remarks, staring at the wooden nymph carving with some fascination.

Perception (Carving): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13

Lady Vanessa stands in front of the portrait of the naked nymph, idly twirling the ring of keys around her fingers while she studies it.

"Vell, ve have zhe room over zhere if somevun vants to check zhat out," she says waving her other hand toward the door in the north wall.

Perception (Carving): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

She seems to be focused more on the pose and the nymph's ... features ... than any fine details in the work.

Barbo moves into the room, obviously a little uncomfortable. This place is so... forward. She would have hated this. Possibly even more than the devil worshipers. He checks out the door and scans it for magic.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 6

While Einn notes no magical auras present in the bedroom, her sharp eyes spot something the others missed.

The woodcutting on the eastern wall is actually secret door and is of a noticeably tamer style than the paintings left in her sitting room. While examining the woodcutting, Einn recognizes that the Asmodean star hanging from the nymph’s neck is actually a keyhole.

Map

Time Remaining: 37 minutes.

Einn waves Fuzzyfoot over and points out the door, and keyhole. "There's a secret door, and the star is a keyhole. Can you help us out please? I'm sure there's something important behind this door or it could be more paintings. Let's find out."

(Raising a hand to make sure Fuzzyfoot stops), "FuzzFoot, make sure you check for traps!"

(Addressing the group as a whole),"A secret door in an area that once was very personal to the missing Ambassador... We should probably prepare ourselves for anything."

She probably has some pet Devil kept in here.

OOC- After Fuzzfoot checks for traps and attempts to pick the lock, I will draw my rapier, cast shield and enter the secret door. Changing my position in the Marching Order to the front (single-file) That is assuming of course Fuzzfoot is able to pick the lock.

"Let's take a look here..."

Fuzzfoot pulls out some tools and gets to work.

Perception, traps: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (7) + 16 = 23
Disable Device: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

"Wait...don't we have several keys?" Fran asks as Fuzzfoot sets about checking the secret door for traps and attempting to pick the lock. "Maybe we should see if one fits," she suggests, attempting to do just that if Fuzzfoot doesn't succeed in picking it open.

"Vhat vas zhat about keys? Do you mean zhese?"" the Lady asks. She stops twirling the ring of keys from Amara Li and hands them to Fuzzfoot. "Oh look, zhere's vun shaped like zhe star zhere."

She then steps out of the way of the professionals to stand beside the bed. She leans over to finger the black silk bedding with a wistful look.

"Ah! Excellent point!" He looks at Fuzzfoot as he examines the door. "While I trust your trap-finding skills, perhaps we let Jarvis take this one on?" He points to the empty space behind him and waits expectantly.

If nobody stops him, he hops over to Lady Vanessa. "Glad you didn't get these confused with your other keys." He winks and snatches up the star key. Tossing it into the air behind him, he shouts. "CATCH!" Surprisingly, the key stops mid-air, floating.

Barbo looks around the group one more time, for confirmation, then says, "Unlock the door, Jarvis." The key slowly floats towards the door and, with only a few failed tries, inserts and turns.

Barbo fumbles with ring Lady Vanessa hands him and selects the odd key that ends in the shape of an Asmodean cross.

The samsaran tosses the key to Jarvis the unseen servant, who turns it in the concealed keyhole.

Two tiny, red-skinned creatures with fiendish wings and whipping scorpion-like tails appear out of thin air attacking Barbo and Einn, closest to the secret door.

Yellow Sting vs Barbo; Damage: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 8 + 2 = 251d4 ⇒ 1
Red Sting vs Einn; Damage: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 8 + 2 = 131d4 ⇒ 4

Their stings drip with poison.

Round 1
Bold may act.
Thysius
Fran
Fuzzfoot
Barbo (-1; Fortitude DC13)
Einn (-4; Fortitude DC13)
Lady Vanessa
---
Red ???
Yellow ???

Everyone's up!

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31 It's a bad link but... Weaknesses, Resistances and special attacks

Barbo reels back as the devils appear out of nowhere. "Imps! Ow!!!" The stinger scratches him, but a magical flash seems to repel the poison from his frail skin. "Cursed Cheliax! It would seem Zarta enjoyed their summoning rituals..."

Fortitude: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

He takes a step back and laughs. "Jarvis, you really did it this time! FETCH my wands!" An invisible force moves to the old man's pack, lifting the cover and pulling out two brown sticks. While this is happening, Barbo lifts his hands outstretched. "Red just isn't your color, devil-slave." He projects a cone of dazzling color from his hands, coating the imp. Color spray, DC 17

Kn. Planes (DC 12): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

"Oh! You horrid little devils!" Fran gasps as the two imps materialize and attack her companions. She focuses her attention on the imp tangling with Einn, a strange light sparking through her narrowed eyes.

"You should listen to me, instead..."
________

It's a worth a shot, so Fran is going to attempt to use her Disrupt Connection hex against Red. The hexer disrupts the connection between a summoned creature within 30 feet and its master. The summoned creature must succeed at a Will save or be confused for 1d4 rounds. While it’s confused in this way, during any round in which the percentile die roll to determine the creature’s confusion result is 76–100, the affected creature instead acts as if the hexer had summoned it (attacking the hexer’s enemies or performing such other tasks that the hexer can communicate to it). The cackle hex extends the duration of this hex by 1 round. Once a creature has been the target of this hex, that creature is immune to this hex for 24 hours.

Barbo recalls that imps are tough, unless attacked with silver or good-aligned weapons; they're immune to fire and poison; and they're resistant to acid and cold. Their stingers are poisoned.

Barbo shrugs off the imp's venom. He steps away from the creature, and a vivid cone of clashing colors springs forth from his hand. The fiend cackles with glee as the lights flash harmlessly over him.
Yellow Will Save DC17: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21
Jarvis the unseen servant hands the wizard his wands.

Fran directs her shiny, narrow gaze on the imp attacking Einn. (What's the Will DC, Fran?)
Red Will Save DC??: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14

Round 1
Bold may act.
Thysius
Fran
Fuzzfoot
Barbo (-1)
Einn (-4; Fortitude DC13)
Lady Vanessa
---
Red ???
Yellow ???

Thysius, Fuzzfoot, Einn, and Lady Vanessa, you're up!

DEVILS! I KNEW IT!

Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19

Knowledge(planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (15) + 10 = 25

Information: Resistances and Weaknesses.

(Drawing his Wand of Shocking Grasp-2 from his Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath as SWIFT ACTION, Thysius moves in for an attack, drawing his MW Cold Iron Rapier as he moves- base speed 35).

"Take that... you FOUL little BEAST!" (Making touch attack with Wand against YELLOW IMP)

Touch Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (18) + 6 = 24 - Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10 (Electricity) if attack is successful, otherwise charge is held.

Fort Save DC 13: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"Get away." Einn jumps away from the little creature. Einn lets out a scream that no one but the yellow imp can hear.

DC 16 Fort Save for half damage and no daze.
Cast Defensively vs DC17: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Force Damage: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5

""Vhat cute little devils zhese are, aren't zhey, Thysius?"

"Never-zhe-less, ve're in a bit ov a hurry here, so... "

Lady Vanessa doesn't know much about devils - well, summoned ones anyway - but she knows they have bones. She pulls out a bone marionette and sprinkles it with salt, all as part of casting a spell. She focuses on tearing the imps tiny bones apart while causing it to move...

Bone Shaker vs Red, Fort DC 18, Misfortune on 18 or better. Successful save = half damage & no movement

Damage: 6d6 ⇒ (4, 6, 2, 2, 5, 2) = 21

She then reaches into her lovely handbag and withdraws a Bouncing Metamagic rod.

posting from Kazakhstan. Can't see the map due to data issues.

(@Thysius, if Barbo shares what he's recalled about an imp's resistances and weakness, Thysius might recall other helpful information about the creatures.)

Thysius advances into Zarta's opulent bedchamber, slipping his wand of shocking grasp into his hand, and activates it. He touches the yellow-hued imp, and the fiend shrieks, sparks coursing through its scaled flesh.

Einn feels the sluggish effects of the imp's venom. She steps away from the creature, utters a silent scream. Dazed and wounded, the fiend manages to maintain its hover about 5 feet above the floor. (Einn, was that ear-piercing scream? That spell does sonic damage.)
Yellow Fortitude Save DC16: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Lady Vanessa targets the blushing red imp with her favorite spell. Using a bone fetish like a marionette, the oracle takes control of the fiend’s skeleton. Its bones rattle within its flesh, causing it grievous, fatal harm. The lifeless creature vanishes before it hits the floor.
Red Fortitude Save DC18: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Round 1
Bold may act.
Thysius
Fran
Fuzzfoot
Barbo (-1)
Einn (-4; 1 DEX damage)
Lady Vanessa
---
Red Imp
Yellow Imp (-15; dazed)

Fuzzfoot, you're up!

Whoops, knew I forgot something! It's a DC 14 Will save so looks like your minion made it on the nose :)

Knowledge, Planes: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (2) + 9 + (6) = 17
Fuzzfoot wonders what he can recall about their physical defenses (AC).

Fuzzfoot shakes is head. "Of course, they use demons. I have a bomb for this, but I assume we want to keep it down...

Fuzzfoot throws a silver dagger at the yellow one.

Ranged Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Damage: 1d3 - 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 + 1 = 2

Fuzzfoot recalls that an imp is a devil not a demon, and its armor class is 17; its flat-footed AC is worse than its touch AC.

Stepping up behind Thysius and using the sylph as cover, the halfling rogue looses a silver dagger at the devil.

The dazed devil pops like a fiendish balloon and disappears.

Victory!

Barbo bends over to catch his breath. "My apologies friends. I didn't realize Jeeves would be SO STUPID as to unleash a hellstorm upon us. " He turns to stare fiercely at the air in front of him, glaring at nothing.

After a time he shrugs and wipes the blood from his skin. Just a scratch, excellent. He turns to Einn with concern in his eyes. "Einn, dear, looks like that nasty bugger got you. Are you alright? Is there anything I can do to help?" He flicks out his Cure Light Wounds wand and tests it's weight.

"Oh dear...this means they're watching for people trying to help Miss Zarta, aren't they?" Fran asks, eyes full of worry. "We have to be really really careful if so, because maybe there's more imps lurking around. Um...unless that was her own doing, I guess that might be possible too..."

"Um! Anyway, we need to see what's behind this door," she continues after a moment's pause, waiting for Barbo's servant to open it.

Eventually, one of you opens the secret door...

Map

In contrast to the large and lavish rooms that make up the rest of this side of the embassy, this secret study (A17) is cramped, utilitarian, and sparse. The walls of the room are irregular and look as if the room was shoehorned into wasted space between other rooms. Like the rest of the personal chambers, this room is windowless, and is pierced only by the secret door and an air vent in the southern corner.

Almost all of the room is taken up by a long desk topped by a series of cubbies full of papers and curios. The desk itself is clear except for a piece of paper (Player Handout #1) and a small, framed portrait of Venture-Captain Ambrus Valsin (see Player Handout #2) with a lipstick kiss-mark on it.

The paper left out on Zarta’s desk includes the serial numbers of several enciphered imperial seals.

"Oh! A secret study!" Fran gasps, looking around. "Maybe now we're getting somewhere!" With a renewed excitement, Fran seizes the piece of paper on the desk...and then her expression shifts to a puzzled frown.

"Oh...um, what is this? It looks like gibberish..."

Fran glances around distractedly...

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

...and then blushes when she spots the portrait.

"Ooh la-la..." she mutters, feeling a bit embarrassed for Venture-Captain Valsin. She quickly turns her attention back to the strange codes and tries to decipher their meaning or purpose.

Kn. Arcana: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18
Kn. Local: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11

Fran realizes she needs a key to decode the cipher. If only such a key were available...

Fuzzfoot looks over the papers and picture, looking for clues.

Perception: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (3) + 15 = 18

"Look here... these are directions to the records archives. I suspect that may hold the key to this list."

The sharp-eyed Fuzzfoot flips the portrait of Ambrus Valsin over and discovers a strange note. At first glance, it appears to be a fan letter about a beloved actor, but it's actually a veiled set of directions to the records archive.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 4

While within the secret study, or from the doorway if entry is not possible.

(Casting Detect Magic and begins scanning in all directions from the center of the room), "Let's see what magic might be hiding in here."

Linguistics, free inspiration: 1d20 + 9 + 1d6 ⇒ (12) + 9 + (2) = 23

"Look here! It is part of the decoding key. I am decent with languages, but can't quite figure it all out. Anyone else want to take a look? It appears to be a list of names..."

Looks like I manage to figure out one extra letter. If I get to pick, let's make it C. Not sure if we can just aid here - one aid would give us another letter. Or if I could take 20, but I don't want to waste that much of our time here.

Fuzzfoot then starts to compare the vent directions to the areas they have seen to see if he can get his bearings, and to see if the vent in this small room is part of the path.
Not eally sure how to decypher this. Looks like the key words are Vent, Lion, Scales, King and Centaur. Maybe these are things we saw in the place? Or could they be in the painting?

Standing in the center of the secret study, Thysius pirouettes, scanning for magical auras. There's something on the other side of the vent in the floor at the southern corner of the room.

Fuzzfoot applies his deductive powers to the note and the cipher. He realizes Zarta has scribbled an encryption of the first few words of her plain-text note. 'What a man! I just have to Vent. Every production he's' becomes: vgiw i gis! A mydw giko we kosw. Okoxu zxehyfwaes go'h.'

Given that information, the investigator realizes 'C' must represent 'L'. It appears there are only three letters yet to be discovered. I wonder what the letters 'N,' 'L,' and 'P' represent? He shows the cipher text and Zarta's note with the partial encryption to the rest of his companions.

(Others may make their own Linguistics skill check or attempt to aid Fuzzfoot.)

30052905 Sexikai Icnyd (NORAVIA AL_US)
52203491 Agzoxai Xilais (IMPERIA RA_LAN)
10449520 Ziwxesafyd Hxoshiso (PATRONICUS DRENDAE)
79402910 Wisfxoh Hodagaxo (TANCRED DESIMIRE)
59200482 Cyxfe Wisilais (LURCO TANA_IAN)
20955321 Zikissi Icitixae (PAVANNA ALAZARIO)
76439201 Ioxehyd Icnyd (AERODUS AL_US)
40592281 Pxifqayd Xiwixaes (_LACHIUS RATARION)

Map

Linguistics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (17) + 12 = 29

Barbo, over his fear of imps and this new room, enters and takes a turn at the note. "Ahh..." He taps his foot on the floor then his finger on the paper. "Fuzzfoot, I see what you mean. If you're right, and I think you are, then N and L must be..."

He breaks from his thinking to curse. "Jeeves... he left my bag open. Jeeves." He absentmindedly hands the letter to the next Pathfinder and berates the air. "PUT my wands back in my bag. Then GO over to the corner and STAY." He shakes his head and chuckles, whispering to himself. "I really must research a better summoned servant."

He returns to the task at hand. "So, we are to go into the vents, eh? That should be fun..."

Crossword puzzle and sudoku aficionado Barbo, takes a look at the documents and makes quick work of solving two of the remaining three enciphered letters; only one remains a mystery.

(Others may make their own Linguistics check or attempt to aid Fuzzfoot or Brayden.)

30052905 Sexikai Icnyd (NORAVIA ALBUS)
52203491 Agzoxai Xilais (IMPERIA RAXLAN)
10449520 Ziwxesafyd Hxoshiso (PATRONICUS DRENDAE)
79402910 Wisfxoh Hodagaxo (TANCRED DESIMIRE)
59200482 Cyxfe Wisilais (LURCO TANAXIAN)
20955321 Zikissi Icitixae (PAVANNA ALAZARIO)
76439201 Ioxehyd Icnyd (AERODUS ALBUS)
40592281 Pxifqayd Xiwixaes (_LACHIUS RATARION)

Seeing the lipstick marked picture of the admittedly hunky Ambrus, Lady Vanessa thinks how cute those two would be together. Oh Zarta, my daahling! Vhat vould zhe ozher Venture Captains tsink?

Then glancing at the cypher she comments offhandedly, "Hmmm, I'm not very good at puzzles, sorry, daahlings."

With that, she wanders over to the other door on the north side of the room. The one no one else opened yet....

"Fuzzy, dear, vhen you're done, vould you mind checking zhis door, too, please? For all ve know zhey've got poor dear Zarta trussed up right in here." Whether she intended the double-entendre or not is anyone's guess.

Barbo briefly looks at the door then raises his hand. "AHA! Little known fact! " He is totally oblivious to Fuzzfoot' s work, intent on teaching anyone who will listen. "Did you know, there are only 26 letters in our alphabet! Yes! Incredible. " He snatches back the note and starts running his fingers over it. "So that means the missing letter can ONLY be... F G J K Q W, or Y. Huh. " He hands back the paper, disappointed. "Well, that wasn't as fruitful as expected. Even if Q and possibly Y or J are eliminated, we still have four more options! "

(Peering into the vent to get a better look at the object radiating the magical aura), "There is the something HERE!"

OCC- if possible, Thysius will try to look into the vent without removing or touching anything. If that is possible he will cast Detect Magic again and use 3 rounds to determine all of the information possible (and Spellcraft).

(looking intently at the vent and not at Fuzzfoot),"Fuzzfoot, as soon as I am done here I am going to need you to utilize your trap finding skills before we try and retrieve this object."

"And STAY ALERT! We still haven't checked that last door yet... and the Gods only know what could be lurking on the other side!"

"Aye, master." Dress the part of the servant, and they all start treating you like one...

Still, Fuzzy doesn't drop a beat and heads over to Vanessa's door to check it out.
Perception, Traps: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (10) + 16 = 26

As soon as he is done, he returns to the vent.
Perception, Traps: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27

"I can make myself even smaller, you know, if we need to work our way through the vent system."

”I’m not good with languages. Einn looks around the room, and studies the notes. ”I don’t think that W would be the correct letter either. Not too many words that start with WL.

Lady Vanessa watches intently as Fuzzfoot completes his careful and thorough check of the doorway. She leans over and strokes her hand down his diminutive back and purrs her thanks in his ear. "Fuzzfoot, daahling, tsank you for checking zhis door for me so kvickly. I'm kvite certain ve couldn't have gotten zhis far vithout you."

As he makes his way back to the impatiently waiting Thysius in Zarta's study, she turns to the door and opens it.

Dear Zarta, vhat do you have hiding in here, I vunder.

"Oh dear...I'm not very good with puzzles either, but I can try," Fran offers, taking the paper and squinting at it intensely.

Linguistics (Untrained; Aid?): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
________

Not sure if you can even Aid a Linguistics check untrained but there it is!

Lady Vanessa has convinced herself she can't help with the cipher. She asks Fuzzfoot to check the door in the north wall of Zarta's bedchamber for traps.

The halfling finds none there nor on the vent. He offers to demonstrate his shrinkage, if the party wants to explore the vents.

Barbo uses most of his fingers to count off the letters that haven't been deciphered, seven by his reckoning. Einn helps, sure it couldn't possibly be a 'W.' Fran proves that a half-elf witch's luck trumps training, somehow guessing correctly that the missing letter must be a 'C.'

Now that Fuzzfoot has determined the vent won't singe his eyebrows or poke him with a poisoned needle, Thysius pops loose the vent and slips his slender sylph arm into the hole.

The magus retrieves a valise containing 50gp, as well as a pouch containing some dust, a cloak, and official-looking documents establishing several different false identities for Zarta Dralneen. This must have been Zarta’s quick-getaway bag. Maybe she didn’t have enough advance warning to take advantage of it?

The casters examine the cloak.

After Fuzzfoot declares the door in the north wall is safe, and almost trembling in anticipation, Lady Vaness swings open the door.

This room (A16) seems to be in pristine condition, with little evidence of renovations. The chamber is full of a variety of equipment suggestive of a dungeon or torture chamber. The walls appear to be thickly padded and sustain hooks holding a number of whips, bludgeons, and other instruments of pain. Spaced between large mirrors are several extremely obscene paintings.

This room was where Zarta spent the majority of her time entertaining her lovers and playthings. Among the paintings on the wall is a rather blasphemous portrait of Sarenrae in a compromising position with two succubi.

Map & Images

Meanwhile, a mundane search of the study reveals more. While examining the cubbies in Zarta’s study, you discover a felt bag with three carved tower figurines in the Thassilonian style. There is also a list labeled 'SL Operatives' among the myriad papers spilling out of the cubbies.

Time Remaining: 36 minutes.
What's next?

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18(Examining the cloak),"This looks rather nice and could help someone remain unseen. It DOESN'T make you invisible, but aids your natural stealth abilities."

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19 (Examining the dust),"While it's undoubtedly magical, I can't quite seem to figure out what it is..."

(Looking at the group as a whole),"What do you think 'SL Operatives' could mean?"

Spellcraft (DC 22): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

"I'm afraid that I don't know what the dust is either," Fran sighs, unable to make any further headway than Thysius did. "And 'SL Operatives'...it sounds important..."

Kn. Local (SL Operatives?): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Fran has heard of a rogue faction of the Pathfinder Society called the Shadow Lodge. She wonders, Was Zarta investigating them? Wouldn't surprise me.

Spellcraft : 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (3) + 10 = 13

"Hrmmm... this is embarrassing, but I, too, have never encountered anything like this. " Barbo turns and hands the bag to Lady Vanessa. "Perhaps you know? "

Following the others into the secret room, Barbo makes a fetching sound and turns away immediately. "Nope. Nope. " He walks back into the bedroom and sits on the bed. "That painting... too much. Too much. " He holds his head, almost in pain. She does NOT like that. So loud! Stop!

After a few seconds like that, the old man stands up gingerly and walks back to the doorway. Peering in, but not entering, he looks everywhere but at the painting. "Ummmm... Lady Vanessa. Several of these, erm, tools, look like they belong in your purse. " He looks at her and winks. "Seems like you may share some hobbies... "

Then, he turns back to the task at hand. "So, she had directions to the records archive, a coded list of names, a list of Pathfinders... " He looks at the floor, frustrated. "None of which tell us where she is, who took her, or why they did it. " He looks at the translated list of names to see if he recognizes any.

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28
Knowledge Nobility: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16

While Barbo doesn't recognize the names on the list 'SL Operatives,' the wizard is convinced this document will be of interest to the Society. Having the document fall into the hands of outsiders, including agents of House Thrune, is probably something the Decemviral would prefer to avoid.

Fuzzfoot secrets away the list after looking it over. "Let's take that escape bag, too. If she got away, it might give us a clue where to find her."

Then he checks the torture sex room for anything secret or traplike. "You humans get weird with your fetishes, don't you?"

Perception: 1d20 + 16 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (9) + 16 + 2 + (1) = 28

Lady Vanessa takes a quick turn through Zarta's Playroom. Her hand trails along the surface of some of the items as she evaluates their provenance with a knowledgeable and practiced eye. She pauses in front of the lovely portrait of Saranrae, before returning to join the others in the bedroom.

She gives a quick glance at the list of names to see if there's anyone from her social circle.

Kn(Nobility): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Sadly, there doesn't seem to be.

Taking the proffered bag of dust from Barbo, she comments on the Playroom. "Barbo, daahling, I fear zhat Zarta vas more ov a "hobbyist" as you say. Zhe tsings she has in zhere are mere ... toys."

She seems somehow disappointed, but unsurprised.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

She then hands the bag back to Barbo. "Zhis dust, daahling, unlike zhe cloak, does make vun invisible. Alzhough, it seems to be qvite variable in how long it lasts. Seems our poor dear Zarta didn't have a chance to use eizher ov zhem to escape vhatever befell her."

"Before ve go crawling tsrough zhe vents, I vant to make sure somevun has zhat cleaning spell all zhe vizards use. Vhat's it called, presto... sometsing? We're going to need to be presentable to get back tsrough zhe gala," she finishes, checking her long black hair in the bedroom's mirror, in spite of it being utterly perfect.