Kern follows the party back to the Vanderboren estate but waits outside the grounds, as he is not particularly trusting of the upper class in Eleder.
Lavinia's face brightens up with a beautiful smile, as Ialda hands her the embroidered pouch with the 100 pp and the ring. "The payment! You indeed are wonderful people. And my father's signet ring?! I don't know how I will ever thank you. You have done my family an enormous favor this day!" She looks at the note with confusion. "I must say I know not what this note means. I was never particularly good at riddles. And I've never been to my family's vaults, but I will keep it. It must be important, if it was stashed with my father's ring, which I know must not have been laying around."
"No, my dear Chez, please accept my humble gratitude for all of your services this day. I know you put yourselves in mortal danger at the behest of a stranger and the fact that you all did so speaks volumes as to the righteousness of your characters. I am proud to make your acquaintance and one day soon, call you my friends."
"Though I am not in the habit of shelling out my riches to people of this ilk, if you vouch that his assistance was invaluable to the success of the venture, then your word is good enough. I will give you payment for this sailor upon opening my family's Vault."
"Speaking of which, I know I owe you the payments promised as well. Please eat and let my staff take care of you for now. I also must say I am a little nervous about going downstairs to my family's Vault. I have never been down there and from what my father told me, it is dark and cramped and I am not used to those conditions. So, if not too much of an inconvenience for you, can we go together to my family's vault to access your payments? Obviously, when you are feeling up to it. In the meantime, let Kora heal you, rest and eat and drink something if you wish, while I have a messenger deliver the payments directly to the harbormaster so I can access my ship. I'll make sure he gets a receipt this time. And Ialda, I will alert my crew so they can dock and have the animals taken off the ship in proper fashion. I have a friend, Virgil, he is a cleric of Erastil. He will know what to do with the panther and the other exotic animals so no worries. I will send him a message as well. Much work to do. I will be back soon. Make yourselves at home."
"If we can be healed up, I've got no problem with going to the vault after dinner. And thank you for taking care of the animals. Magestic creatures such as that should remain in the wild."
Aeronniell considers Lavinia's next request, musing aloud for the others to hear.
"I wonder if the vault has any... guardians?"
Kowaru bows his head to Lavinia as he addresses her. "I had wished to help Vark see the errors of his ways, and in that, I have failed my master's teachings. At least your ship and livelihood have been saved, sister." The monk winces as Kora wraps a bandage tightly across his chest.
He glances to Aeron as she expresses concern about guardians at the vault. "If there are, then it would be in our best interests to be well-rested before heading there. Since we don't know for certain, it would be wisest to assume there are. The fight aboard the Nixie taxed us all - let us go in the morning."
"It would again be a great pleasure to help you m'lady. This day indeed took a great toll on us, and I must say this scrumptious food and fine selection of wine is certainly helping to mend the wounds I suffered today. A good night's rest in a comfortable bed will certainly see me fit and ready for delving into your vault." Chez says the last sentance with the most innocent of looks.
"I dislike causing you any inconvenience but would you possibly have a vacant guest room. Although I have secured an average inn room, the bed is certainly lacking a little of what I am accustomed to, and my room mate snores louder than a rhinocerous in heat." Chez gives a sly smile in Kowaru's direction.
Though frustrated, Lavinia gives in to wait till morning, as she needs the coins to pay pressing debts, apart from the party's payment. Kern is willing to wait as well and returns to the docks and tells Chez to look for him there when he has the payment. Later in the day the proper authorities are alerted to the massacre aboard the Blue Nixie but none of them seem to bat an eyelash at the death of Vark and his men, so the investigation ends very quickly. The day and night passes quickly with any wounded members healing naturally and bearing some scars the next day. Lavinia is happy to have the party stay at her home for the night. The next morning after a hearty breakfast, Lavinia leads you down into the catacombs underneath her manor to the House Vault. Using magic, torches, or sunrods, you follow the Lady down some musty passageways until the passageway ends at a solid looking iron door. The portal is emblazoned with a simple rune - an eight pointed star. Above the door, inscribed in flowing script on a polished silver plaque, is the name "Vanderboren." A single handle protrudes from the door, just below a circular depression bearing the mark of the Vanderboren signet. With her father's ring on her finger, Lavinia looks back at the party and says, "We all ready?"
Kowaru turns his attention to Chez. "I will take your word on this, brother," he deadpans. "I have never attempted to court such a creature myself."
Ialda lights a torch and advises the group to get behind her, as she and Lavinia attempt to open the door.
Whispering words with the barest hint of an elvish accent, a light begins to glow forth from the tip of Ialda's spear.
"I hope you don't mind, Ialda? You are in front..." Aeron smiles, shrugging to her companion.
"Not a bad idea Arionel", Chez smiles as a recites a short verse and touches the new rapier he is wielding, making it magically glow.
Aeronniell arches an eyebrow as she watches Chez work his magic.
Was that arcane? Or does this one have a divine spark? Perhaps Cayden?
The elf nods to herself, making a mental note to keep a closer watch on the rake, and perhaps inquire further about how he came into such a talent when she knows him better.
"That's much better than a torch. Thanks," Ialda comments as she extinguishes the torch she ad been trying to spark.
Kowaru nods to Lavinia. "We are ready when you are, sister. Take your time."
Lavinia inserts her father's signet ring into the depression, causing the door to flash once with blue light then slowly swing open on creaking hinges, revealing a domed chamber with a floor of polished green marble. Lavinia bids the party to check the place out, as she is a little nervous. You make your way into the room to find two 15' wide alcoves in the east and west sections of the room supported by marble pillars carved with coiling snakes. At the North end of the room, one giant pillar is embedded into the wall, rising up 30' to the dome overhead. Ialda's sharp eyes catch a small darting creature race around the eastern pillar, resembling a three foot long serpent made of iron bands and shouts a warning to the party!
Aeronniell:
Chez:
Ialda:
Kowaru:
Xarethi:
Serpent:
Assuming that the creature shows no signs of sentience, Chez will move foward while drawing his shortsword. He will then thrust forward at the serpent with his rapier.
The small steel serpent is quick and dodges Chez' blow. It rises up, hooded like a cobra, and lashes out the human warrior, but misses.
Ialda steps back to H 12, while pulling her longspear. She takes a mighty poke at the snake, trying to keep it off Chez.
Attack
Damage
With practiced reflexes, Aeronniell's longbow is at hand in an instant and an arrow is in flight towards the metallic serpent.
Kowaru races around the eastern pillar to assist Chez. He swings wildly as he approaches, harrying the steel serpent, but doing little else.
Move to F14 the long way around, giving Chez flank on his next strike!
Chez smiles and nods towards Kowaru when he moves in for the flank.
Round 2 Cobra's Turn:
The Iron Cobra's armor is damaged by Chez' short sword attack but the hole in its iron plates quickly closes up, leaving a small fissure. The serpent retaliates, biting through Chez' armor and injecting its poison into his thigh, but thankfully, he manages to pull it away quickly and squeeze the poison out before it can enter his bloodstream!
Ialda keeps attacking with her long spear.
Attack
Damage
Possible Critical
Attack
Damage
Kowaru returns Chez's nod and lashes out, his fists as fast as the cobra construct. He attacked the creature's head, unsure of whether it had weak points like an actual cobra or not.
Flurry of blows. Lethal damage this time - it's a construct, so I'm not actually killing anything.
Attack 1:
Attack 2:
Damage 1:
Damage 2:
Ialda's devastating spear attack shatters most the of the construct's iron coils, leaving a fist-sized hole in the side of its face, though it does reconstruct some of the damage but it's still up, as it evades both of Kowaru's blows.
Round 2
Aeronniell holds her bow, looking for an opportunity to shoot at the metallic serpent again. Frowning, she realizes the creature's small size and speed coupled with her new allies surrounding it, that landing an arrow is a difficult chore.
She steps forward behind Chez, trusting in The Dreamer as she presses a soft hand onto his back and murmurs another prayer.
The Iron Cobra rises up, its eyes two red pinpoints of light, and bites Chez in his other thigh, ripping skin off, but again, the warrior resists the construct's poison!
Round 3 Cobra's Turn:
For those closely looking at the barbarian, they might notice the same fury in her eyes she showed on the ship before smashing the large insectlike creature. "Just die, damned snake!"
Attack
Damage
Ialda's spear punctures the serpent's eye and the red pinpoints of light fade, as it falls to the ground.
Kowaru lands several blows against the creature - not to harm it, but distract it. It was clear his strength wasn't enough to penetrate its iron plates, so he settles on setting it up for Ialda.
Aid Ialda's attack, need to hit AC 10. +2 to her attack if I hit.
Attack:
"What in the Nine Hells was that thing," she rasps, out of breath from her exertion. After a few seconds, she returned to her 'normal' self.
"Some sort of iron snake guardian, perhaps? That seems most likely. It wouldn't need to eat, and could guard the Vanderboren treasures for an eternity, if needed. It seems Lavinia was most wise in asking us to accompany her, sister." He glanced to Chez, who had withstood the brunt of the cobra's attack. "Are you alright, brother? Has it poisoned you?"
"Seriously, Chez. Even if the snake is made of metal, you still should try to avoid its fangs. Remember that for the next time you run into a serpent," the 1/2 elf laughs, glad her goofy fighter seemed okay.
Lavinia looks worried, "I'm so sorry, I had no idea that was there. Are you ok, Chesley? I guess Kowaru is right, must have been a guardian. As I said, I have never been down here before. Father always handled this for the family."
Assuming everyone is alright, Ialda keeps her spear at hand and continues searching around the room.
Once Chez confirms he is not poisoned, just wounded, Lavinia looks around, "Uh, now what? I don't see any exit or Vault in this room."
"Look around, Lady Lavinia. There has to be something here like a secret door, or lever that will open a secret chamber. Everyone look very carefully."
Kowaru gets to work examining the walls for a secret way further into the vault.
Take 10, assist Ialda.
Lavinia walks around the room, following Ialda's advice and even following Kowaru's lead, but she fails to find anything. "I don't see anything." She looks up at the ceiling and frustrated, says, "Damn it, father, couldn't you have left me instructions or something?! This is ridiculous!" Tears start to well up, as she puts her head down and covers her face. She wipes them away and looks at the party, "Sorry."
"Look at that sheet of paper that we found with your ring. Maybe it has a clue your father meant you to find," Ialda asks hopefully, not being sure how else to proceed.
Lavinia looks at the note. "I know the sun rises in the east and it sets in the west. But what is this other stuff with chimera and medusa and cyclops? Aaargh!"
"Just a minor flesh wound." Chez states as he staggers forward a bit.
"Hrmm, you know I wouldn't say no to one of those healing potions we found though. I think we have 1 left. Anyone mind if I imbide it?"