See what, Arthur? Did you spot something in the pond?
Karl moves forward into the antechamber, softly as he can on the fungal carpet and listens in at the door to the west.
"These marks are unlikely to be affected by any physical disturbance," Oorin says.
He glances back at Arthur but, seeing nothing, turns his attention to the interior. He clucks his tongue at observing what, in his mind, is subpar architectural design; current condition notwithstanding.
"Dismal place, isn't it? Are there any signs that living beings have moved through here recently?"
The interior does not seem like it has seen anything more than small rodents or animals in many years.
In response to the others, "That thing with the hammer, it attacked me. Did you not see it?"
Karl shakes his head at Arthur, a bewildered look on his face. I saw you stab that skull outside the door, nothing more. What did you see?
As he speaks, he moves to the double doors to the north, and listens at those as well.
Karl does not hear anything behind the door.
Karl shrugs and opens the western door.
S3: The western door leads to a hallway. Four doors are on the north wall, all leading to small offices. Several hundred sheets of paper, folders, notebooks, and various ledgers are strewn about these rooms.
At the end of the hallway are two doors on the western wall.
S4: This spacious room smells of mildew and rot. A long desk and chair sit to the south, while to the northwest a narrow alcove contains a closed safe. Thick layers of dust cover everything in sight.
S5: This room was used as a washroom, while the small closet was used as a privy.
"Except for the air of malice, which doesn't seem to include this room, I've seen nothing to indicate anything out of the ordinary so far. I don't know if that makes me more nervous or less."
Oorin will see if the safe is still locked.
The room appears to be a large office. From the layout, furniture, and size of the room, it was likely used by a very important person in the prison.
The safe is still locked. It has a keyhole and lever, it is not a combination lock.
Karl circles the safe, taking care to examine it thoroughly
before hunkering down before the keyhole and putting his new tools to use. He strips off his cestus and tucks it behind his belt and leaves his greatsword resting against the safe itself, close at hand should any threat present itself.
Strange how everything seems so much less oppressive in here. Well, let's see if the warden left us any helpful information on these spirits.
Since entering the office, Roland's general level of agitation has lessened noticeably, in that he is no longer trembling and jumping at shadows.
"Except for the air of malice, which doesn't seem to include this room, I've seen nothing to indicate anything out of the ordinary so far. I don't know if that makes me more nervous or less."
"A little bit of both, in my case. I keep expecting something to jump out of every corner."
"Well, let's see if the warden left us any helpful information on these spirits."
"Ah! Here, let me see if I might be able to help you with that."
Roland looks over Karl's shoulder as he works. "Yes, just a quarter turn or so to the left... and use the smallest tool."
Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, you cannot quite get the lock open.
-----
I have updated the map to reveal the spaces assuming you open doors and look through to the rooms beyond. Feel free to simply point out which direction you want to go based on the room numbers ("S14").
Karl almost throws up his hands in frustration, but settles himself with a deep breath.
I'm going to keep trying. This room seems safe enough for the moment.
Karl bends himself to the task once more, thankful for Roland's assistance and advice.
Oorin frowns as the safe refuses to be picked. I hate an unsatisfied curiosity.
"Perhaps it's best if we search those rooms by the entrance first before moving further in."
Karl begins meticulously testing the lock, attempting to trip the tumblers one by one. As he tries his last option, the audible click surprises everyone as the lock disengages.
Inside the safe, you find:
- Numerous legal documents regarding Harrowstone and its prisoners. (of no use to you, but possibly of interest to historians, scholars, etc)
- A small metal lockbox (unlocked) containing 500 gp
- A wooden rack with nine potions
- four potions of cure moderate wounds
- three potions of lesser restoration
- two potions of remove disease
-----
Roland smiles and claps Karl lightly on the back when he opens the safe.
"Well done! I dare say you have a real talent at this! I don't know that I'd have been able to get that open, myself."
As Karl begins removing the items from the safe, Roland's eyes fall on the rack with the potions.
"Ah! Let me see those." Gingerly taking the potions, he eyes and swishes each of them in their bottles, humming and hawing for a moment. "Very handy curative magics, all of them. Four curative potions... moderate power. Three restorative potions, but fairly weak. And these two appear to remove diseases."
Roland will secure the potions to his belt, and hide them in his various pockets if no one else claims them.
"Perhaps it's best if we search those rooms by the entrance first before moving further in."
"A wise suggestion. Better to make sure we have a safe path of retreat before we venture too far into danger."
I hope they don't think me too cowardly for such a suggestion.
I have updated the map to reveal both S15 and S16 (and S17, which some of the characters discovered). The double doors exiting S15 to the east lead to S18.
Thanks for the reminder, Roland, totally forgot about that. Will try to remember going forward. :)
I have updated the map to reveal both S15 and S16 (and S17, which some of the characters discovered). The double doors exiting S15 to the east lead to S18.
Thanks for the reminder, Roland, totally forgot about that. Will try to remember going forward. :)
I have updated the map to reveal both S15 and S16 (and S17, which some of the characters discovered). The double doors exiting S15 to the east lead to S18.
Thanks for the reminder, Roland, totally forgot about that. Will try to remember going forward. :)
"A concealed door..." Oorin wonders aloud. "Let's see if there's anything of value."
Oorin will open the secret door.
Karl hands out the gold to everyone, 100 pieces each, except for Arthur, who he gives 120 gp to, in order to pay him back. Thanks Roland! Let's hope this wealth isn't haunted. I guess it must have been forgotten here. Finders keepers, eh? he grins as he pockets his own share.
When he sees Roland hanging all the potions about him, Karl clears his throat.
Ah, Roland, do you mind if I hang onto one of those curatives and one of those restoratives? Just in case I get separated?
Or in case those spirits take you over again.
Once they move into the room of antique goods, Karl stands ready for whatever may lie past the secret door.
The secret door (S17) opens to reveal a small reinforced closet. There are several shelves lining the walls, but you only find five items within the closet. A tag has been attached to each item containing information about the owner.
- Handaxe; steel handaxe with a wooden handle stained wtih blood; "Property of Vance Saetressle a/k/a/ The Lopper"
- Holy symbols; a tangled collection of over a dozen holy symbols on silver chains; "Property of Sefick Corvin a/k/a Father Charlatan"
- Spellbook; this spellbook has a cracked leather cover covered in mold; "Property of Hean Feramin a/k/a The Splatter Man"
- Hammer; the head of this smith's hammer appears new, despite the signs of age on the handle; "Property of Ispin Onyxcudgel a/k/a The Mosswater Marauder"
- Flute; a tarnished silver flute; "Property of ?? a/k/a The Piper of Illmarsh"
"Well," Oorin cocks an eyebrow at the discovery, "here's a pretty little assortment; if a bit worse for wear," he concludes eyeing the spellbook.
Oorin will cast Detect Magic. If possible he'll try to get all five items in one casting but will cast multiple times if necessary.
"Well, they're all magical. Decently strong but not overtly so." Oorin forwns as he continues to look at the items. "Hmpf. Alteration magic signatures on all of them. Arguably the least revealing magical aura an item can have."
So, uh, should we take them, or leave them?
Karl fidgets nervously, clearly out of his element.
"So, uh, should we take them, or leave them?"
"It seems to me that these artifacts are, ah, strongly associated with our five most powerful spirits." Roland taps his chin. "Perhaps they can be of use in helping us dispel them?"
"Possibly. I worried for a moment that they might be cursed but as someone tagged them and placed them here that would seem unlikely. 'Fortune favors the bold" they say," Oorin pauses, "although the bold that fortune doesn't favor usually won't live long enough to serve as an example...oh well."
Oorin grabs Splatter Man's spellbook and carefully opens it.
The book is heavier than you expect, and the mold has penetrated into the interior, ruining several pages in both the front and back. Luckily, most of the spellbook is intact, and you find a number of spells inside.
Level 0 - Acid splash, breeze, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, penumbra, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue
Level 1 - Comprehend languages, enlarge person, feather fall, mage armor, magic missile, summon monster i, unseen servant
Level 2 - Arcane lock, blur, burning gaze, glitterdust, locate object, spider climb, summon monster ii
Level 3 - Blacklight, dispel magic, fireball, suggestion
Level 4 - Crushing despair, wall of fire
Karl hefts the handaxe, testing the weight and balance by quickly flipping it into the air before catching the haft.
Hmmm, Lopper. He and I have some unfinished business to attend to.
The handaxe is weighted perfectly for use in one hand, and aside from the bloodstains, it seems like a great weapon.
-----
Anybody else want to pick something up? :)
The collection of holy symbols is maddeningly tangled together, so much so that it would take hours of tedious work to separate them. In fact, as you examine the mess of thin silver chains, you find it difficult to follow one strand through its twists and knots.
After a few moments of examining the collection, you find a familiar symbol - Milani.
As the others begin looking at some of the objects, Roland reaches out and picks up the flute to examine.
This fiend is responsible for Micheal's death. A rush of anger flushes his face.
This flute was once a wonderful musical instrument. Now, the silver is tarnished, the lip plate is worn, and the keys are loose. Even so, a musician may be able to restore the piece to its former glory.
Karl picks up the hammer after sliding the axe through a loop in his belt.
No sense leaving this one behind. he says in a low voice. Let's keep exploring. I don't want to be in here any longer than we have to.
Karl makes a cursory examination of the antiquities outside the secret room, looking for anything potentially useful.
Roland slips the flute into his belt.
"Let's keep exploring. I don't want to be in here any longer than we have to."
"Indeed.
Oorin has been flipping through the Spellbook and was paying little attention to what the others were doing. When Karl and Roland speak Oorin looks up rather vaguely.
"Hmm?" he seems distracted. "Oh, ah, yes. This is certainly not the place for one to linger," he finishes rather abashedly. He stashes the spellbook away but is already thinking of when he'll have the time and money to begin copying some of the spells over.
The hammer is slightly smaller than average, perfectly balanced for use by an experienced blacksmith. If needed, it can be used as a light warhammer in combat, though it was obviously not created for that purpose.
Karl, you glance through the other items, but most have been destroyed by the elements. Those few that are still intact seem to be mundane object that don't hold any interest for you.
TSP stares intently at the hammer as Karl lifts it from the shelf. "That hammer was part of the image I saw outside, when the skull disintegrated. The dwarf who charged me carried that hammer."
He stands silent for a moment before continuing in an ominous voice, "He had the first strike and missed. I now have a debt to repay that spirit."
"Well, it seems we've covered much of the front. How about exploring room and checking out the doors there?"
Keep your blade ready, Arthur, I get the feeling that you will have your chance soon enough.
Karl nods to Oorin and leads the way, eyes and ears sharp for traps and treachery.
The auditorium (S15) is largely vacant, containing only the benches.
Though you notice the room gets colder as you explore it, with the coldest area just north of the southern podium. The location corresponds to a small bench fitted with metal hooks and loops, apparently designed to aid in restraining the occupant.
The doors have suffered badly from the weather, and they appear to be swollen with water to the point where opening them would be difficult.
Karl attempts to force the doors open.