White Eagle opens the door and looks around into another corridor. Opening the door brings the sounds of the gala close again.
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"I believe our friend Zhoron was right, this embassy is very much a maze. We have choices to make my friends, but I believe we should steer clear of anything that sounds like it is approaching the gathering of the gala. Perhaps we try one of the doors in the hallway we just passed?"
Turning to look at some of the others in the party, Eldak begins pondering potential locations for the room they are searching for.
Based on my best guesses, we should be close by to where we were told the room was located. We need to keep out of areas that will cause us to be seen, but I can only imagine that we are running short on time.
"Lukaas, you seem to have a decent idea of the layout of the building as we have been making progress. What do you think? Perhaps we should split up to cover more ground a little quicker. Maybe myself and our shaman friend can scout up ahead while Gaeldrung provides us some muscle just to be safe? Then the 3 of you can check some of the doors we just passed? Especially since you seem to have a bit of fascination with our lady friend Pollett and are comfortable with Zhoron"
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Lukaas chuckles
Sorry to contradict you partially, but I rarely get "decent ideas" when a woman's bedroom is concerned, Eldak. If I can hasard a guess, let's check this door...
He points to the door White Eagle is facing, just across the corridor
...as it is on the southwest part of the building, where the room we seek is supposed to be. If my memory serves well, my friend Zhoron got hold of some keys earlier, lets prepare them in case the door is closed. If we act quickly, we could be beside that door in mere moments.
A soft touch, like a tickle in your ear turns out to be Venture Captain Amara Li's whispering hushed voice. As it reaches each of you she says, "So far so good, nothing has made it's way back this way yet. I estimate I can hold him for another for-". The voice cuts off abruptly mid-sentence and is gone.
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"Well that obviously can't be good."
"It appears Lukaas was correct again as we have found the area where everyone's coats seem to be kept. Traffic is very heavy, but if I had to guess I would say we found the right room," Eldaak says pointing to the same door Lukaas motioned to earlier.
"The spot for the nameplate is empty, and as Gaeldrung already said, sneaking here will be impossible. We must come up with another way to get to that room."
Unlike before there does not seem to be a lull when the corridor above empties out. White Eagle waits for the best opportunity and times his movement from the doorway behind a coat check and up the door.
A quick jiggle of the handle reveals that the door is indeed locked.
"Hey, you down there." A voice from the end of the corridor directs it attention towards White Eagle. A middle aged man in a suit stands apart from all of the servants who are busily working in the corridor. As he approaches White Eagle's blocking attempt he asks, "Why aren't you dressed yet?"
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Someone better think of something to distract this man. Perhaps those disguise potions would be useful now, since the man is asking why White Eagle isn't dressed yet.
Eldak watches the interaction between White Eagle and the man hoping that White Eagle comes up a good answer to the man's question.
-Posted with Wayfinder
The man continues down toward White Eagle. The way that he passes through the servants makes it clear that is not a typical servant. As he nears White Eagle he repeats himself. "Are you hard of hearing? I said--"
A puff of smoke wafts into the face of the man who coughs once, twice and then stares blankly into White Eagle's face.
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Lukaas `nods to Zhoron
be quick, my friend... you shouldn't make a woman waiting for you, ever!
then to the old man, when he comes back to his senses
We're just a bunch of exotic entertainers, hired by the embassy. We have been told to stay away from the guests view so far. We're supposed to be a surprise, so hush...
Zhoron opens the door to what appears to be a sitting room. He and White Eagle quickly make their way into the empty room, vacating the hallway.
Inspecting the area quickly reveals a crumpled and roughly folded canvass with a full-length artistic rendition of Zarta in scanty red apparel, along with several other pieces of art apparently considered too lascivious to remain. The open door leads to Zarta’s bedchamber. The bucket holding open the door is full of a mixture of turpentine and varnish.
Gaeldrung and Lukaas step into the void to confront the dazed man as he snaps out of his momentary lapse of focus. The man shakes his head a few times and places his right hand on his temple. He clears his throat and looks between Lukaas and Gaeldrung, confused. "Wha-. Entertainers. Stay away from the guests."
The man is clearly confused. Where was that Shoanti looking figure? Entertainers? How could I have overlooked entertainers?
The man plays along with the bluff, clearly not wanted to look like he doesn't know what is going on here. He places his hands on the shoulders of the two man and gives them a good two shakes. "Of courrrrrrrssssse! The entertainers. You're early of course, that is why I was so confused. You're not scheduled to make your appearance, for what-" The man pauses and thinks as if he is trying to remember a time, "-thirty minutes?"
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"Quick thinking Lukaas and Gaeldrung." Eldak takes a long look at Lukaas before speaking to him directly. "Perhaps my first observations of you were wrong, or perhaps the motivation of making it into a woman's bedroom stirs you into quick-witted action?"
Eldak follows the group into the room. Best not to stay out in the open any longer than necessary.
Eldak looks around the room trying to take note of anything that could be important in their search, or his own.
The man nods to Lukaas repeatedly, "Right-right, of course. Not a word. Just try to stay out of the way and don't touch anything please."
In the hallway there is a loud clatter as two servants bump into each other a tray spells. The man in front of Lukaas and Gaeldrung spins on his heels and shouts, "Hey! You! What in the name of the Gods are you DOING man!" He quickly trots down away from the party to address the two men.
The remainder of the party slips into the room with Zhoron and White Eagle, closing the door behind them.
The furniture in this luxurious sitting room is covered by drop-cloths, and buckets of paint sit against walls where erotic murals are in the process of being replaced by a neutral institutional taupe. An enormously tall gilt frame leans against the wall. A door to the east leads to a hallway, while to the southwest a door is propped open by a bucket and displays the half-dissolved inscription, “Where Love Comes to Die.”
Inspecting the area quickly reveals a crumpled and roughly folded canvass with a full-length artistic rendition of Zarta in scanty red apparel, along with several other pieces of art apparently considered too lascivious to remain. The open door leads to Zarta’s bedchamber. The bucket holding open the door is full of a mixture of turpentine and varnish.
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Entering Zarta's bedchambers, Lukaas sighs and winks at Eldak
We surely don't want to offense Miss Polet's chaste ears, Eldak, even if she stays shy and quiet like a pretty little mouse. But now you have sparked my interest, and I do wonder what your first impressions of me were. I suggest a little chat, with some fine wine, after this adventure. Ho, to be trapped in the embassy's cellar... That looks like paradise for a follower of Caiden!
He gives an exagerated sigh, and watches what remains of the lascivious art
Now, this place rise some other appetites...It's a shame the Chelaxian servants vandalized those walls. Taupe. It's official: now I can't stand this color. Those erotic drawings were surely exquisite!
Lukaas looks at the canvass lenghtily, rolls it carefully before trying to put it into his backpack*, saying to no one in particular
Hey,I need to be able to recognise Lady Zarta if we manage to find her...
Suddenly, he stops, unrolls the canvas and tries to see if it fits into the big gilt frame
*
After Lukaas places the canvas in his back the party listens at the partially open door to the next room. No sounds or activity can be heard and so the door is slowly opened. Peering into the next room you see that this is obviously Zarta's bedchamber.
The extravagant bedchamber is dominated by a massive four-poster bed that takes up half the room. Red-varnished wardrobes and vanities complement the black silk sheets on the bed, which appears to be in the process of being dismantled. The walls of the room have been stripped of
the portraits that once hung there, faint outlines of the art pieces being all that remain. The exception to this is the eastern wall, which is occupied by an elaborate woodcutting depicting but a single nymph in a seductive pose, garbed in nothing but a necklace bearing an amulet shaped like the Asmodean star.
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"My friend Lukaas, a drink when we depart this place sounds like quite a treat indeed. However, it appears our friend Pollett has learned to ignore some of your, shall we call it flair?" Eldak says in response to Lukaas.
"That is a very fine piece of art indeed. Such a shame that it is being removed from the walls and covered with such a bland color."
Eldak stares at the room in awe. As he walks around the room, Eldak questions the things he sees, and doesn't see within the room.
Such a shame that the person who has called this her room for so long is now being treated as though she never existed. There should be something that can help give us a clue in regards to Zarta's whereabouts. Nothing appears to be out of the ordinary here, just a lot of clutter as the embassy attempts to erase Zarta's presence.
A quick examination of the key ring and the keyhole reveal that there is a key shaped like an asmodean cross that will fit perfectly into the key hole.
As soon as the key is placed in the lock there is a popping sound and two twisted little red creatures vaguely humanoid save for their horns wings and scorpion-like tails appear!
The creature eyes the party and settles its gaze on Lukaas and says, "I suggest you leave these rooms, this is really too dangerous a situation to be worth of your time." one creature drawls, grinning and waggling its scaly brows at Lukaas.
"Be gone! You do not belong here." The second creature lashes out with his tail at Zhoron, slashing him across his chest.
Initiative:
White Eagle
Winged Creature 2
Winged Creature 1
Pollet
Gaeldrung
Zhoron
Lukaas
Eldak
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Lukaas has no clue about what type of fiend just assaulted his mind. Probably because his mind was focused on resisting the mental attack of the spawn from another plane. With bravado, he retorts
It takes more than a Chelaxian's hellish pet's order to get me out of a woman's bedroom!
Lukaas put a silvered bolt into his crossbow, waiting for an opportunity to strike, still dizzy and slow from the fiend touch on his brain
Zhoron, use the silvered sword I gave you!This should do the trick!
The powder blows into the area the that the flying devilish creature occupies but unlike the simple minded man in the hall this creature seems to be unaffected.
Having already successfully attacked its target, the devil in front of Zhoron moves 5' south in front of Lukaas and attempts to slash him with his tail and sting him. Unfortunately the tiny devil zips past Lukaas's head and misses.
The second devil flies directly above Zhoron and just like the other devli lands his stinger. This time it barely piereces into Zhoron's neck.
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"Let me see what I may be able to recall from memory what I know about these fiends."
After searching through his memory for anything of importance pertaining to these creatures, Eldak takes focus on the imp nearest to Zhoron and begins chanting in Elven and moving his right hand in an intricate pattern.
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Our mission is one of deception and stealth. We must be quick of pace, and quick of mind. Best is to try to carry ourselves as if we had all the rights to be where we are. Before we go, I have a few things for you, just in case we come across some beast from the outer planes...
Lukaas put on the table the three vials of holy water
please help yourself.then gives a silvered longsword to Zhoron
We might need your martial prowess, Zhoron, if we meet some devilkin, and this weapon will be useful in your hands. I myself got a silvered rapier, and a few silvered crossbow bolts. Better not to put all our eggs in the same basket.
Both Eldak and Zhoron's attacks miss their intended flying tiny targets.
The one flying above Lukaas looks down and says, "This is where you run away human. Go on, be gone!"