The viper's about to crawl back into its basket when Broker attacks it out of boredom. Broker misses the viper, and the creature angrily bites Broker. But its poison doesn't work, and it barely does damage. The viper then crawls back into its basket.
Broker lifts up Rabbai so he can reach the key. It looks like, if Rabbai can manage to keep his balance, he can take the key by stretching his arms out.
The steel chest has only the faintest crack where its lid meets the base, and would be completely featureless save for its narrow keyhole. the scepter key doesn't work on the steel chest, but but Oric tries it on the door it unlocks. On the other side of the door stands the servant. "Done already?"
After it becomes obvious the party hasn't finished yet the servant pulls the door closed. "I'll wait..."
Rabbai stands on Broker's shoulder and reaches out for the key. When he almost has the key, Rabbai falls off of Broker's shoulders.
With some aid from Broker it's possible for Rabbai to actually keep his balance this time. He reaches out for the key, but nearly loses his balance again. Rabbai regains his balance and, even slower, reaches out for the key. This time Rabbai succeeds in grabbing the key, but directly loses his balance after and falls on top of Riika.
While Riika and Rabbai lie on the floor, nice and cozy, Oric takes the key from Rabbai's hand and walks up the steel chest. The steel chest unlocks when Oric inserts the gold key in the keyhole and turns it.
Oric opens the steel chest and a cloud of blue gas comes from the chest, enveloping the party members.
When the gas clears Broker and Oric seem fine. However, Rabbai and Riika now have blue skins.
The opened steel chest holds the map of the Salhar burial vaults beneath Sothis and a wand of knock.
On the other side of the door the party's greeted by the servant who led them to the vault. "There you are again. This time with the items," the servant says, and inspects every member of the party. When he looks at Rabbai and Riika the corners of the servant's mouth curl and he tries to keep in his laughter. "Some have turned blue I see."
"You can keep the map and wand, but please give back any keys you have on you." The servant waits for the party to hand over the keys they have on them. After that the servant informs the party Amenopheus has left for the day. "If you wish to speak to him, perhaps you should try back tomorrow. Either way, I'll show you the way out."
The servant escorts the party to the estate's exit, and opens the door for them. "I'll inform the master of your succes. You have passed."
As the party moves into the Ivy District you all notice the houses are rather large, and probably expensive too. There aren't a lot of people on the streets, but there are a few other carts moving from one place to another. The streets are broad and the trees that have been planted every couple of yards cast their shadows on the sidewalks.
Arriving at Paracountess Zarta Dralneen’s townhouse in the Ivy District—one of several homes the noblewoman keeps around Absalom—the PCs come upon 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 Pathfinders 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 arrives 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 the party with a wry smile, putting away a few papers before standing to address the hopeful Pathfinders. "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 freshfaced 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 Broker.
"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."
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The nature of the Cheliaxian social structure and it's relations to Devil power structures sounds like a fascinating topic! If I had more time I would love to discuss it with you. Oric takes several notes in his journal. Sadly duty must come before pleasure in this instance. There is not a hint of irony or innuendo in Oric's tone. He honestly regrets missing the opportunity to discuss the topic. As you suggest we are here to courier the item back to venture-captain Valsin.
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Broker is in good spirits and though he tries his best, he cannot help but snicker whenever he glances at his unfortunate party members. Blue does not become them indeed.
He grins at Zarta's words however, taking it as a compliment. In the streets it means that she does not take him lightly and that indeed is high praise.
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Well, aren't you a pretty caged birdy. With an unsurprisingly small view of things. The devils are obviously playing a long con. You are already thinking as they do, saying thing like "true order". Careful little birdy, what power they grant you now is crumbs compared to what they squeeze back out in the eons after your death.
The effect of the gas is about to wear off on Riika, but when the paracountess looks at Riika speaking she has trouble keeping a straight face. "You couldn't... ahem... be any more wrong," the paracountess says, almost bursting out in laughter halfway her sentence. "Though I don't expect one like you to underst..."
As the paracountess talks, a cacophony of booms and crashes sounds from beyond the room’s west door. Her eyes look at the door, then back at the party. "May you wonder about the noises, a servant is greatly misbehaving. If you wish to obtain what you came for, you’re going to have to deal with it."
The paracountess 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. "Unless you wish to stay here and have me educate you on the subject of demons," she adds with a wink at Oric, before she looks at Riika with a grin.
Zarta’s bedroom is decorated in the colors of Cheliax— ebon black and crimson red. Silk, rare woods, and carefully carved marble compose every bit of furniture in the room. Goose down now litters the room, covering almost every surface and the silken shreds of the cushions that contained it lie about like flayed skin . A post on the massive screened bed is snapped in half, collapsed on the bed and drawing the screened curtains into a ripped slope of formerly fine cloth. Vials of perfume and crystal jars of other cosmetics sit smashed on the marble floor around the dresser. A prominent fixture in the room, a large “X” made of stout wood sits along the west wall, complete with leather shackles and chains. A table sits to its left strewn with various items intended for pleasure, but outwardly resembling implements of pain. A silver-tipped riding crop lies on the table in the southwest corner, just inside the door.
On Zarta's bed sits an imp. The imp screams loudly and throws a box, the one the party wants to obtain, against one of the walls. The imp jumps off the bed and picks the box up again, smashing it against the wall in an attempt to open it.
Rabbai shoots an arrow at the imp and hits the imp in its shoulder, but the arrow breaks and doesn't do any damage. When it turns around it sees Broker attack it, but easily dodges. "Bwah! Leave Kreuvus alone!"
The imp glares at Broker, then turns invisible together with the box. Footsteps can be heard as the imp runs off to another part of the room.
Several magazines and books are thrown at the party members from the direction of the desk, amongst which a book with the title 'SM For Dummies'. Some footsteps are heard as the imp moves to another place.
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Rabbai calls out, "He's 15 feet west of Broker - between the wall and the bottom of the bed!"
And runs over to him, hoping to grab him.
Updated map
Rabbai tries to grapple the imp, but grabs only air.
After Oric misses the square the imp's in, Broker jumps onto the bed and attempts to grab the imp. Broker feels an arm, but it slips away before he manages to actually grab it. Riika's skin turns back to normal, and she starts preparing a potion.
The imp becomes visible and attacks Oric with a poison sting, but Oric's armor protects him from the poisonous attack.
The imp flies over Rabbai's head toward the desk, then to a position next to the doors. "Bwah!"
Oric succefully grapples the imp when it tries to fly away. As a result the imp doesn't get away at all.