Nearly swarming with cats and children, this fine upper-class home appears to be clean and in good condition considering the number and ages of its inhabitants. Three young boys shoot marbles in the dirt near the side porch, and inside strewn toys and more cats lie about on the floors. A few children take care of chores, while coughs and sneezes softly erupt from the children’s dormitories upstairs.
"Well, well what have we here!" A woman fitting Auntie Baltwin’s description greets you as you arrive at the door. "Pathfinders by the look of ya...I'm guessing you have a package for me?"
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Bregolas affirms her conjecture with a polite nod. He motions for Fahd to approach with the medicine.
As the planned transaction and distracting conversation ensues, the silent stalker tries to manage sneaking his way over to the boys playing marbles.
I hate dealing with children. How... awkward.
Glancing back to the woman and his comrades, the elf bends down to come closer to eye level with the boys playing marbles. He gazes into the eyes of one with a serious expression. In a soft spoken voice, "So... you enjoy playing this... game of marbles, boy?"
Bregolas raises an eyebrow at a cat that begins to rub against him now. "Fascinating creature... perhaps it smells my salted fish." Thinking this to be a good idea, he brings forth a pouch of the stuff for the boys, "Would anyone care for some salted fish?"
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"Well met, Auntie. In addition to the goods that you require to run an establishment such as this, our manifesto covers a routine inspection of the living condition of these human children. Would you care to accompany as I peruse this premises, or will you stay with my companions?"
Not really waiting for an answer, Durothil moves about, looking for an obvious or more subtle signs that the orphans are either mistreated or engaged in some illicit activities.
"I never invited you in! Brash, rude Pathfinders! I won't have you snooping about!" The children playing marbles are scared stiff between Aunties rising anger and Bregolas's unintentionally harsh tone.
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Surprised by the harsh reaction, Durothil turns toward Auntie. "Madam, if we have spoken out of turn, we apologize. We are merely Pathfinders here to accomplish a task so one day the higher-ups will feel more comfortable sending us all over Absalom robbing graves. Please, 5 minutes if you will. To pass the time I give yoiu a small token of appreciation of all that you have done for the poor and downtrodden."
Handing the strong liquor to Auntie, Durothil continues to search.
"Oh, well...I'm sure I can find someone to gift this....oh blast come in and sit down. I'll put on some tea." Auntie gestures toward a small sitting room while she scurries off to the kitchen to fetch her teapot.
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Thinking it best not to frighten the children any further, he follows Auntie's lead back for some tea after giving a nibble of fish to the cat that tried climbing up his leg.
It would obviously be best if I leave the child-talking to the others.
Bregolas notes that a few cats are now following him into the sitting room, meowing for more of the delicious treat.
I always get along better with animals than people...
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"Thank you Auntie for your hospitality. Tea would be nice. I can't seem to get the salt water out of my mouth lately. I am sorry to say but rumor has it that your attentions have been misplaced towards the bottle, rather than your charges. Now, people talk and usually tend to exaggerate their perceptions from time to time. That is why we thought best to give you a chance to respond to these as yet unconfirmed allegations. From appearances it seems that you keep quite a clean house. I applaud you for that."
Durothil settles in before giving Auntie what he hopes is a piercing gaze.
As Durothil and Bregolas head inside to schmooze with Auntie, Krux and Fahd remain behind with the children. "We go into town sometimes to work." one of the children replies to the questions. "We go to work to make money for the house so that Auntie can take care of us. She can be mean sometimes...but she tells funny stories at bedtime!"
Inside Auntie brings a tray of tea into the sitting area. "Oh now why did I bother with all these cups if only two of you were coming inside?" Auntie hands two cups of steaming hot tea to Durothil and Bregolas before taking the one closest to her for herself.
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"Ahh Auntie. Thank you for the tea. Mine seems different than yours. Mind if I take a quick sip?"
Not waiting for an answer Durothil takes the cup and takes a quick sip, confirming that she is actually day drinking in front of them.
"My my Auntie. Seems that my gift was not going to another, rather you have decided to reward yourself now. A poor choice for one to addle their wits in the middle of the day when you should be responsible for all these children. No more pretenses I am afraid, tell me what else you have done wrong in your state of impaired judgement and I swear that I will try to mitigate as much damage as I can with Ollysta."
"I don't know...just stories. Like animals talking to each other in funny voices." Fahd gets the impression that the children aren't hiding anything but are having difficulty answering the question.
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“Ha! Seems most days you need it if you want to make it through the day in this house. These children are killing me!” she offers to Durothil. "Alas if you can help me kick the habit I'll gladly do what is necessary."
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Taking the tea cup away from her, and looking about for any other bottles in plain sight, Durothil continues to talk to Auntie. "Many of us struggle with our own personal demons, not just those pouring out from the Worldwound. I do understand and I will implore Ollysta to deal mercifully with you. In the meantime, find a shire of Sarenrae. One never knows what the seekers of redemption will find."
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"No…she doesn't hurt us. Sometimes she yells…but most of the time she's nice."
After a few more moments of pleasantries Bregolas and Durothil are satisfied that they have enough information to bring back to Ollysta. They meet up with Fahd and Krux on the street and both groups share what they've learned with one another. The entire group heads off to give Ollysta Zadrian a detailed report of your findings. As you head off to your next assigment you all have the feeling that you're being watched. It could simply be other Pathfinder agents checking up on your progress or it could be something else entirely.
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“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.
“Since Osirion was 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.
“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 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 for you to enter. Once you enter the room, the door closes and locks behind you. Written on the back of the door is the message:
“Within these cases lies your quest and your way out.”
In this plain stone room are 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.
Fahd and Durothil see 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.
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Bregolas finds it curious that they are locked in the room, raising an eyebrow to his peers. Resisting the urge to chop the door down with his sword, he decides to briefly inspect each and every item in turn before narrowing his focus on any one item. He also circumstrides the room, giving the stone walls, the floor, and ceiling a once over.
At least this task does not appear to involve children.
The Wicker Basket
This 2-foot-round wicker basket requires no key to open, its lid resting gently atop its wide rim. Inside, a blue stone key rests atop a pile of crumpled linens.
The Glass Jar
This gallon-sized clear glass jar is about half full with clear liquid. At the bottom of the vessel sits a jeweled brass key.
The Copper-Banded Chest
The Red Lacquered Chest
This smooth, red lacquered chest looks devious. The solid metal plate surrounding the gaping keyhole pulses with glowing amber runes.
The Steel Chest
This steel cube has only the faintest crack where its lid meets the base, and would be completely featureless save for its narrow keyhole.
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"The steel chest is rigged to spew out a blue liquid when opened. Be careful with that one." After looking at the glass jar, upon seeing the key, Fahd offers to pick it up and pour out the liquid in a far corner, so that the acidic material doesn't damage anyone. "We are going to need that key, I'd wager."
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"My friends. As this is a test, I believe it seems as if the metal box is rigged with only a spray of blue paint. Harmless, but demeaning, as it would signal to all that we failed to open the chest correctly. I would assume that what we are looking for lies inside the Red Lacquered Chest. I confess I do not know those ruins or what they mean. My little brother is the one who knows about the Arcane." Durothil speaks matter of factly, not really advocating a course of action.
Krux knocks over the basket…the blue key and a small, mechanical snake pop out. The snake gnashes its teeth harmlessly on the great sword before fizzling out.
The blue key looks to be a perfect fit for the red chest.
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"Do not spill the acid just yet," Bregolas warns Fahd just before he spills the jar's contents. "It may be required to solve the puzzle."
"I do know the copper chest is illusory," the ranger remarks as he passes his hand right through the copper chest for effect.
"But I know not these runes either. The blue key does seem to correspond with the steel chest." Bregolas takes a few paces back as he lets someone else make the attempt, with curiosity on his face. But he adds, "I know not if this is correct. But it may be that the corrosive liquid is for dissolving the runic metal plate, spoiling perhaps a magical trap upon the one to open the red chest."
Then looking back to the steel chest, "Perhaps the brass key should be tried on that first. It may contain a clue about the runes."
The red lacquered chest holds a key forged into the end of a jeweled scepter. Too large to fit any of the chests, it does appear to be the appropriate size to unlock the door to the room; allowing you to leave at your leisure.
Fahd looks around the room for some crates to stand on. There are none.
Fahd stacks the chests atop one another and still finds himself a few feet short of grasping the key. Standing them on their ends, with his teammates holding the contraption steady, yields better results. With a well timed jump he just misses the key and falls flat on his face. After a few more tries he finally succeeds.
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Bregolas was about to draw his bow, but let Fahd get the gold key.
He looks at the remaining unopened chest and takes the brass key, comparing it to the chest's keyhole. "We just need the map to the vaults now, which presumably is within this steel chest."
If it fits, "I'd prefer not to be painted blue, however." Bregolas draws one of his arrows. He ties the brass key to its tip, then attempts to insert the key into the steel chest's keyhole while off to one side of the chest, where he can evade the blue spray that he deemed would erupt on opening the chest. He waits for the others to also move aside before turning the key...
As Bregolas opens the chest a torrent of liquid jets out and he narrowly avoids being covered in blue dye. Retrieving the map from the chest the group uses the final key to open the door where the servant awaits. He allows you to keep the map and also offers you a Wand of Knock (11 charges remaining) for your troubles.
You arrive at Paracountess Zarta Dralneen’s townhouse in the Ivy District for your final task —one of several homes the noblewoman keeps around Absalom— a magnificent gothic structure three stories inheight. 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 and escorts you to the Paracountess's chambers.
“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 Caith. “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.”
As the paracountess talks, a cacophony of booms and crashes sounds from beyond the room’s west door. She sometimes pauses at an extended eruption of these noises before continuing with the conversation. “My apologies. A servant is greatly misbehaving in there. You’re going to have to deal with it in order to get the trinket you've been sent to retrieve.” 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.