Is there a fire place or chimney Mead could fly down. More to recon than anything else.
The men in the building appear to have not set a watch of any kind, so moving around the outside of the structure to observe or search doesn't require any particular stealth unless exceptionally loud noises are made.
As Meade soars around the building, the creature notes several possible points of entry. There is a smashed skylight that the pseudodragon can peer into from the second story, which opens into a chamber that appears to serve as a balcony that looks out over the larger main room on the first floor. A large stone statue of some kind of demon or devil at the back of the balcony scowls menacingly over a lit brazier before it.
Seeing no-one on the balcony level, the pseudodragon slinks in through the skylight to get a better view of the interior. Mead is able to once again see the rooms below, confirming the eight men still lounging about in the first floor area. They appear clad in scale mail with a red and orange surcoat, all of them either wielding (while practicing on the dummies around the room) or carrying scimitars. The pseudodragon notes the large number of barrels situated around the room, all of them oddly painted red for some reason.
Spackle's familiar returns when it appears safe to report its findings to the group.
The group shuffles through the door invisibly, briefly taking a moment of awkward movements to ensure remaining within the radius of the invisibility sphere and still make it through the doorway.
Quickly surveying the main room, the group notes the presence of the men idling about the room as described by Meade earlier. The combination of the invisibility spell and the silence spell ensures the group's entrance was unnoticed, but further movement into the room could possibly alert some of the men closer to the entrance by the abrupt cessation of sound in their area from the silence.
Many of the group notices from the their scan of the room that while the men mill about, none of them appear to be entering the chambers that open off the small hallway to the east under the stairs. While the other chambers appear to have debris and other detritus, this wing of the building seems to oddly be kept semi-tidy and clean.
Locke briefly sniffs the air and quickly identifies that the red-painted barrels about the main chamber seem to contain a large quantity of highly flammable oils. These could easily be knocked over for a oil slick, or ignited for a more explosive result.
Nothing in the immediate line of sign seems to indicate presence of anything stolen from the wedding venue from earlier, or at least with the group's current cursory glance.
As the group advances towards the stairs, one of the men near the stairs perks up as he notices the abrupt cessation of sound in his vicinity! He attempts to speak, then starts wildly waving his hands soundlessly as he begins to move towards another one of his companions in the room.
Initiative
Melisande
Kioshi
Tereze
Enemies
Dru
Spackle
Locke
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Tereze knowing she needs to give the others time to surprise them, looks at what she is wearing and smiles.
She walks over to the door and steps into the open doorway becoming visible. The she dismisses silence and knocks loudly on the door.
Hi boys, I understand someone here ordered some dancers?
Trying hard to draw every eye in the place.
Hi boys, I understand someone here ordered some dancers?
As Tereze strikes her saucy pose, the two magical spells shoot over her shoulders in both directions simultaneously in an almost choreographed way; lighting up the room in flame and electricity! The lightning bolt on the right fries the two closest men to a charred crisp, while the man in the back backflips over the bolt to avoid the effect. Ironically, this leaves him and the other four left in the main chamber off balance to be fried in turn completely by the accompanying blast from the fireball afterwards! The fire from the explosion causes the red barrels around the room to explode, raining fiery oil down upon the ground all around the center area of the room.
The remaining man who was "lucky" enough to be in the far chamber is left alive after the surprise assault. He looks briefly at the charred remains of the other six individuals, and then immediately dives out of the side window directly next to him with a loud sound of breaking glass! The sounds of running steps can be heard as he runs away for his life!
The following x 7: potion of cure light wounds, masterwork
scale mail, scimitar, punching dagger, 3 javelins, tindertwig, 15 gp
A bloodstained box lies in the corner of the office room, the inside of which contains an elegant portrait of a refined figure in princely attire. Fine Kelish script indicates the title of the portrait in the corner of the painting. The box also contains a large bag that holds gold pieces bearing marks indicating them of Chelish origin, about 6,300 gold pieces worth.
[ooc]A DC 20 Perception Check will reveal the contents of Secret Spoiler A
|
Kioshi wanders around the complex.
"Hey look here: In the brazier in front of the statue on the second level, I found fragments of burnt human bones and broken jewelry; including an iron holy symbol of Iomedae with the initials "C.P" engraved on the back." he says.
~
Southeastern Room, 1st Level
Kioshi explains what he sees.
This room appears to be an office, containing a desk and two chairs. A pile of letters and correspondences lie on top of the desk to one side.
He then reads the only important letter.
Although Raamiz Ibn-Chadli has paid us well, I fear that his gold may cost us in the end. Those Chelish slavers he deals with are little better than pirates. Rather than load the Incubus in the harbor, as any legitimate vessel would, he had us bring the slaves to an isolated stretch of coastline miles from town. I’m not a fearful man, but the Incubus is bound to be caught eventually—you can be sure they’ll turn on us when the Satrap’s questioners talk to them. Worse yet, Ibn-Chadli’s vizier is not what he appears. He’s forced us to build a monstrous shrine in our hall, making each of us participate in his rituals. I was forced to swear I wouldn’t reveal what he is, but that unholy thing is binding us all into some sor…
|
Spackle shakes his head. "Surprised the 'ntire place ain't burnin' ta the ground." As he looks about the second story, [b]"Oi! Anyone notice this statue here? It's o' that demon what's is face? Memnock...Morlock? No, that ai't it." Then, with a snap of his fingers, "Moloch! That's 'is name." The realization settles in a moment later. "Aw dregs! That mighten be a problem."
He blonde bard joins the others downstairs.
"Hey now, weren't that there paint'n part o' the dowry? Now that Ah'm think'n 'bout it, we ain't fer knowin' what's missin'. We should go ask Bashir fer a list o' goods. Should go a long way in track'n things down."
I do think that Spackle has the right idea here though - we were remiss in not getting a list of items that were taken. We should do that now.
The return to the wedding venue is uneventful, the group finding the reception area being slowly cleaned up by several servants now wandering about the space. Bashir is standing nearby the bride and groom in discussion, all three looking up as the group approaches.
Lujine's father is happy to give the group an inventory of his intended gifts, giving the Pathfinders a piece of paper with them written on it.
Bashir al-Mudaris’ Gifts to the Pathfinder Society
The Bylaws of the Zhonari Order: A set of 17 papyrus sheets purportedly from the fallen city of Shadun, these crumbling manuscripts rest in a case of lacquered cedar. (Weight: 8 lbs.)
Portrait of Prince Khasine: Approximately 900 years old, this funerary portrait depicts the Qadiran Prince Khasine who fell in battle during his nation’s invasion of Taldor. (Weight: 3 lbs.)
The Locasi Carpet: In ancient times, wandering kelishite priests of Sarenrae carried colorful mats depicting scenes from their scriptures. Their followers knelt around the mats, absorbing the colorful messages during the priests’ sermons. This time-faded carpet was supposedly woven by the revered High Priest Ubaidah Abd-Hikmah. (Weight: 21 lbs.)
Font of Irori: Over 400 years ago, the warlike Pasha Muan produced this vessel, supposedly a gift from Irori himself. The font appears as a smooth, perfectly even silver bowl, but in rare instances viewers claim to see complex, ever-shifting patterns within the metal. (Weight: 2 lbs.)
The Jewels of Xalmer: A collection of cloisonne clasps and buckles, these gleaming trinkets once belonged to the infamous blood-sorcerer Xalmer. Legend claims that the thirst-spirit Ragathiel reduced Xalmer to dust in their final battle, leaving behind only these bejeweled ornaments. (Weight: .5 lbs.)
The Lamp of Machila: Once an heirloom of the House of Machila, this hanging lamp looks uneven and pitted. Lit in a large chamber, the lamp’s light projects a wondrous image: the magnificent throne room of an ancient emperor. Even more amazing, it generates this projection without detectable magic. (Weight: 5 lbs.)
Should the contents of the letter found at the hideout be brought up, Bashir will remark that the individual mentioned there did use to be one of his acquaintances, and that he even recalled that the person was at one point one of the suitors pursuing his daughter. After discovering his penchant for avarice and cruelty, however, Bashir quickly distanced himself and his daughter from the man soon after. Bashir is able to provide the location of the man's villa on the Avenue of the Phoenix in the city, should the group wish to investigate.
Small villas line the Avenue of the Phoenix, the local residences of traveling merchants and officials. Intricate designs cover the homes’ finely carved doors, subtle reminders of their residents’ wealth and taste. Midway down the street, the gaudily painted walls of one home contrast sharply with the burnt-out remains of an unfortunate neighbor: this must be Raamiz Ibn-Chadli’s villa.