|
"Stop scaring the kids!"Jules stares at Braxton.
"We are not here to hurt or scare the little ones!"
Jules turns to talk with Auntie
"I dont known what went on in there, but it appears you should receive an appology since none are forth coming allow me to appoligize for their actions! I am sincerly sorry they upset you and your childen!"
Jules turns to the other pathfinders
"I think we have cause enough trouble here and should leave these poor children alone" Jules then turns to leave, then turns back once more,
"Again I would applogize for their actions. I truly hope you and your children have a fine day. with that said Jules begins to walk away shaking her head in embarsement and mumbling.
"Scare children, terrifying Auntie what were they thinking!"
Jules whispers I still dont trust her. I think we should get a ladder and come back much later in the day. I really want to see what is going on upstairs. What do you guys think
|
|
"Eh... I'm not sorry for anything I've done here. It's nice to know you seem to genuinely care about the children's safety, and I'll be pointing that much out to Lady Ollysta. It doesn't change that I think you're scamming the charities though," Chandler says before turning to follow Jules.
When she whispers to him, he responds in kind. "If you really want to... but I feel like we'd need to wait and watch the kids when they leave. If she's not completely stupid, she'll probably expect as much."
Baltwin ushers her children back into the house and slams the door behind her.
The party heads back to the Temple, finding Ollysta once more. Seeing the party, she comes over. "Greetings Pathifnders! What did you find? Are fears warranted?"
|
|
The party makes their way to the rich estate of Grand Councilmember Dremdhet Salhar, and are greeted by a guard who is expecting them as they reach the tall, wrought-iron gate. Ushering you in, a servant tells your group Salhar is not present, called away on important Council business, but his most trusted advisor is available to negotiate any business you may require.
The servant explains this while leading the group down well decorated
hallways, past expansive rooms. After a few minutes, the group arrives at a simple study near the end of a long hallway. A tan-skinned old man sits behind a desk flipping through pages in a large tome. Scraps of paper jut from the book marking over two dozen different places. As the group approaches the open door, the wise sage silently gestures the party into the study with one thin hand, while closing the tome with the other after finishing what he was reading. Once the everyone is inside the study, he addresses 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." He takes a breath as he regards you intently.
“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." The sage begins clasping and unclasping his hands while speaking.
“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 sage only smiles mysteriously. "Tis only a small task. The Grand Councilmember wants to be assured of the Society's worthiness."
After leaving Amenopheus’ study, the servant brings the group back through the spacious estate, leading them 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 the party to enter.
|
|
Torsk, stands silent, listening to those before him, and his brow raises when the told of "needing to show their worthiness".
When taken to the simple wooden door, he looks to the servant first, when a look that only a mother could love, looking for any tells in the man's posture. Seeing the man is going to give nothing away, he looks into the room, to get an idea of what "worthiness" he must show to the Osirion man.
As the party enters the small room, the servant closes the door behind you and you hear him lock the door! Looking around, you see a plain stone room that 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.
|
|
"Lets see we have two boxes" Jules says as she begins to examine them.
She then wanders over to the table and examine the contents of the table. She appears to be extra cautious not to spill any of the liquid or upset what ever is in the basket.
I just wonder if I could just pick the lock, but I dont think we will impress anyone getting out of here that way."
Jules begins to examine the three chests and the other two items.
|
|
Jules looks surprised
"You have a strange interpertation of friendly. This steel cube is trapped, and I would bet my last copper that isnt water in that container. Do you want to try and see what it is? Maybe stick a finger in and see what happens. I wouldn't advise it though. Jules says with a smile.
Jules easily disables and unlocks the steel cube. Within she finds the map of the Salhar vaults and a wand.
Jules tries to pick the lock to the door, but fails. After a few more attempts, she finally succeeds. Opening the door, the servant seems surprised at the speed with which the party recovered the map. "The Sapphire Sage has instructed me to tell you that you are to keep the map and the wand. Good day." With that, he show you out of the mansion.
Heading to the last destination, the party travels to the Ivy District. Eventually coming to the townhome of Zarta Draleen, you see a magnificent gothic structure three stories in height. The ebon lacquered double doors wrought with gleaming silver fixtures greet the characters, 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 party 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, the party finally arrivea 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 with a wry smile, putting away a few papers before standing to address the group.
“Aldor, you are dismissed. Close the door behind you and attend to your other tasks.” 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 Braxton. “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." She smiles.
"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. But I digress, what was it you came for again?”
|
|
Torsk looks on as Jules makes quick work of the trapped cube. He look at the random jar if liquid, wondering what it could be. He turns back, and Jules is holding the map they came for. He looks at the other random objects, and when he looks again...Jules again makes works of the locked door behind them. He nods at the man who locked them in as they exit the room and hand over the map.
On the way to their final location, he gets an eerie feeling if being watched. When he looks over his shoulder to see the a man eyeing them. Torsk blinks and the man is gone, making him wonder if he even existed.
Did anyone see that man, or are my eyes playing tricks on me?!
At the Chelish home, he follows in with the others, but says nothing when she makes the comments about being scrumptious and whatnot.
It's in the other room." She says motioning. At that moment, a loud bang and a cacophony of crashes drifts through the door she had indicated.