{The steel cube is not magical, the copper band chest is magical.}
Ito turns the brass jeweled key in the red lacquer box and finds it does nothing.
Endor turns the blue stone key in the red lacquer box the lid opens immediately.
You hear a series of clicks from the red lacquer box, to the floor, to the wall, to the ceiling. Above, you see a small key dangling on a wire 6 inches from the flat 15 feet high ceiling.
You hear a series of clicks from the red lacquer box, to the floor, to the wall, to the ceiling. Above, you see a small key dangling on a wire 6 inches from the flat 15 feet high ceiling.
Also, in the red lacquer box is a key forged into the end of a jeweled scepter, which seems it would fit into the door to the vault.
{Will Ito be trying the brass jeweled key on the other two boxes?}
Above, you see a small key dangling on a wire 6 inches from the flat 15 feet high ceiling.
pending gm approval
https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/7aa245d4-8246-4684-8386-f0b5571d2bee
{Gnome throwing is a new one. But the circus act...
6'3" feet man's shoulders is at 5'9", add 3' 4" gnome with reach, you get about 10'. Unarmored Ito 5' high jump to ceiling is 16+4+2= DC22
Requires 3 rolls:
DC12 bottom person bracing
DC15 standing on bottom person
DC22 vert leap}
Endor removes his armour and says a prayer.
[Dice=Acrobatics] 1d20+3Endor below makes a vertical leap of his own to try to reduce the distance for Ito
[Dice=Acrobatics] 1d20+2
Endor says, "jump now."
{Yea- no. The jumping jump adds Severely Unsteady +10 = DC32. Fortunately, no one has fallen yet. Advise take a look at Acrobatics.}
The extra long chopstick made by Endor's spear and Ito's lance brings down the key, which seems made of gold.
{PCs up}
It seems that both remaining keys can fit into either remaining chests. You also have the sceptered key, which opens the vault door.
{Not sure what you want to do with those rolls Endor}
It seems that both remaining keys can fit into either remaining chests. The non-magical steel cube appears to be mechanically trapped. {DC15 Disable}
The poke does not trigger the trap, and the cube remains as it is.
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Endor says, "well this key was hidden and that, pointing to the metal one is trapped, people often hide or trap their valuables."
"This sceptered key will get us out unlocking the vault door."
"The question left is with no one to disarm the trap who is brave enough to take whatever suffering it holds. Any volunteers?
"And, I guess the other key and other box go together." Still unsure what role they play.
{I believe Endor refers to the 'gold ceiling key' going with the trapped metal cube; and the 'acid jar brass key' going with the magical copper box}
The cube opens with an explosion of blue ink, luckily no one was near enough to get painted. Laying within is the map of the Salhar burial vaults, and a wand of of knock (CL3, 11chr).
Without need to bother with the last box, you exit the vault. Waiting for you on the other side is the servant who led you here. "Amazing! You've even managed to open the door yourself -and you're not blue! The Sapphire Sage would have me congratulate you upon your success. He would do so himself, but other business has drawn him away from estate for the rest of the day. I have been instructed to inform you that the map you have recovered is yours to take. The wand you may keep as well, as a personal reward for suffering his challenge."
Saying little more, the servant leads you from the estate, leaving you just outside the gate.
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 beautiful servant woman in loose, almost scandalous attire opens the door, greeting your group as if expected. With a knowing smile, she leads you through well-appointed sitting rooms, ballrooms, and a grand stairway granting a view of an elaborate study, before finally arriving on the third floor of the house, at the door of Zarta’s personal study. Knocking upon the door and announcing her presence, she opens the darkly stained wooden door. Inside, 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.
Boom! Crash! Rattle rattle rattle, plang.
A cacophony of booms and crashes sounds from beyond the room’s west door.
Sitting in the chair behind the desk, doing a good job of ignoring the sounds from the next room, Paracountess Zarta Dralneen regards your group with a wry smile, putting away a few papers before standing and waving off the servant. “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,” 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. “On the good side, he always sends me all the precious new recruits."
“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...”
Smash! Kaboom! Crunch! Pling! Boom! Crash! Riiiiip....
She pauses at an extended eruption of noises before continuing with the conversation.
"I apologize, a servant is greatly misbehaving. The item Ambrus sent you to retrieve, a seven-lock iron case, is in that room, and you’re going to have to deal with It in order to get It." She goes over to the desk in her study, opening a drawer and drawing out an exquisite silver letter opener shaped like a dagger. “You might need this to get it to submit,” she offers with a sly grin. She leaves the room, leaving the door open behind her.
|
Thank you for receiving us, Lady Zarta. We appreciate the favour. I do understand the confusion about your people. In my studies, we examined the common misconceptions about certain religions and governments. I feel one should follow their own path, as long as it doesn't intrude on others choices. Patros says as he bows with respect to Lady Zarta.
{Zerta has left the room; PCs up.}
Crunch! Crack! Boom! BOOM!!
|
Maru looks a little overwhelmed at meeting Zarta. "Overdressed? I mean..." She looks down at herself. The silk shirt and pants she is wearing are soaked through and tight against her skin. They aren't highly revealing, but there's little doubt about the shape of her body underneath the wet clothing.
"Oh, a devil? We can deal with it? Hmm. One minute, friends, this may be something that Dante may be helpful with."
Maru sits down on a couch and concentrates for a short time. The water that saturates her hair, skin, and clothing draws away from her body, swirling like a water elemental for a moment before taking a translucent form of a humanoid man with the appearance of a pirate captain -- tricorn hat, cutlass at his belt, knee-high boots, and a hook hand. Constant tears seem to drip from his eyes. Now that this phantom has manifested, Maru's form seems completely dry.
"Maru, my love, what are we doing here?" asks the being.
"Dante, haven't you been watching?"
"Oh, mostly. It's too unbearable sometimes, though."
"Well, we've got to do something now. We'll rejoin when we're done."