If Qanickir doesn't know where the scale might be, Rikaku suggests they start with the library--that's where the goblins were originally, after all.
Qanikcir falls silent for a brief spell, likely pondering and remembering the layout of the mansion. "A white scale..? I do not know why that would be important. Hmmm, but there is a secret corridor that was used as an escape route from the mansion. I am unsure that be of any use though. Go into the study and place Dragash's rapier into the floor beneath where the desk used to be. I am unsure if that desk is still there. The magic should dispel itself and you will see a staircase. Again I don't think the object you are looking for is there as that is an escape route but .. you never know?"
Drak will go up ahead and scout up to the study. Being as quiet even though the way is probably clear.
Last time we scouted an escape route it was nearly the death of me
Rybal clamors up to the elf.
Variel, that pig sticker belong to Dragash? When you're ready, I'll go with you to find this staircase in the study, make sure nothing jumps out and crushes you.
Done... lets go
Trogg follows Variel and Rybal, holding off on drawing on the power of nature until after examining the secret passage, at which time it should be clear whether mere eyesight is enough to find the scale.
Rikaku obediently follows the others to the study, rather quiet from the tiredness of his magic expended. He seems to almost drift off to sleep now and again.
A tube containing 500gp worth of residuum.(which can be used for Masterwork transformation)
A Fully charged wand of Bull's Strength
A Fully charged wand of Bless
4 potions of cure serious wounds
A pistol with 10 bullets.
When arriving in the study the stench of the dead bodies in the corner seem to be overpowering. It wasn't like this the last time you came here and Chara is all but gagging on the stench. "Oh god.. what happened, even though they were rotting they weren't this bad yesterday." She coughs out.
Chara tries to calm herself though, and wraps a piece of cloth around her nose. She is trying hard to persevere through the hardships, it is becoming painstakingly obvious that she isn't used to this life but is taking on the challenges surprising well for a 'civilian'. Perhaps the loss of the party she was with caused a bigger change than you might have thought.
The group immediately finds the desk Qanikcir talked about moving it out of the way. The desk was the one that Brice was being altered on. Variel points the rapier to the ground and true to what Qanikcir said the floor beneath Variel shimmers then slowly fades from existence revealing the staircase beneath it.
The staircase is relatively steep, likely taking up as little space in the actual house before hitting underground. The way ahead is eerily silent. Except for the sound of a single drop hitting a body of water that seems to echo into the study now that the staircase has been revealed. The way down is also pitch black after a few feet. Those with darkvision of course aren't impeded by the lack of light.
As the group descends into the bowels of the earth once more a very familiar mist shows itself at the bottom of the staircase. Brown and matted, as the party gets closer they hear something. It at first sounds like a whisper on the wind but as they approach they know this whisper is entirely in their head.
The words they hear repeat themselves over and over saying. "The world, is imperfect.. my son needs a better place."
A few more steps forward and the mists vanish. The group can clearly see however this is just an escape route, getting to the end of it they open a doorway out of the mansion. The group found no body of water that is producing the sound they heard. The doorway is quite well hidden in the patches of green a little way from the mansion. As the group investigates the area around the exit they hear someone approach.
From the trees appears a single Orc, you think at least. This Orc seems way too slender to be an orc but he is green and has the standard Orc teeth and jaw. The orc is a quite a lot shorter for his race and is even short for half-orc standards at about 5 foot. He is wearing very little on his body, just a plain grey shirt and leather trousers. The Orc's clothing seems oddly well kept though he has some blood on the shirt, it doesn't look to be his as has he has no wounds on himself. Slung across his shoulder is a satchel probably for gear and supplies. Across his belt he has a battleaxe. In one hand he is holding an elven curveblade. In the other he is throwing and catching a Mistfiend orb.
He stops his game of catch with the orb and bows to the party. Bringing the arm that is holding the orb across his body. "Greetings" He begins in Elvish. Then continues in common: "Fancy seeing a group of people come out of the ground, fortuitous indeed. Where does this lead might I ask?" He asks smiling at the group.
"Oh do forgive me, my name is Elrohir. Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Elrohir adds in eloquently, Variel spots this as odd as that is an Elven name. Malthu and Rybal find his name preposterous, no Orc has such a pansy name.
The Orc does not emanate an evil Aura, the orb he is holding does but that isn't a surprise. When in the tunnel you detected some evil auras around the centre someplace. The mist was also emanating evil but that aura disappeared as quickly as the mist did.
Does our visitor appear to be wearing a disguise? Do his clothes fit him well, or are they too loose or too tight?
Rybal studies the small orc curiously, then barks a response in his native tongue.
Greetings on our part as well travellers. I take your meaning as to 'where does this lead' as to the destination of the passage, then it ends in an abandoned mansion outside of the main town. We've cleansed it of the evil within, and know from experience where that orb you carry has come from. What of yourselves? Where does this passage lead?
No it doesn't appear that Elrohir is wearing a disguise. His clothes do fit him well enough and they look to be tailored, or at least the shirt does from a quick glance. The weapon he is holding seems to be magical as well, from a brief detect magic glint.
Elrohir rolls his neck waiting for a reply then begins laughing when Rybal speaks to him. After catching his breath he says in common first. "Oh I still laugh at that, sorry I get this a lot."
"It is simple really, my Dad got naming rights to me. He is an elf, so I'm a half-orc just like you. I can't really be masquerading when I'm both the things you accuse me of being."
Elrohir giggles and regains his composure before continuing in common once again. "Travellers?" He replies to Variel, looking behind him at the empty forest. "I oft travel on my own just like now. Though yes I meant where does the passage lead and it is sad to hear you got there before me. All that juicy information must be lost, ah but who am I kidding you are alive in front of me which means you must have learnt something about the man-in-white." He muses.
"How bout this, we are both after the same goal so I don't want to be a bad sport and beat the information out of you, there are far many more of you than there are me. I might be skilled but not enough to kill you all before I meet my maker. So, how bout a bargain. You tell me some information about that house that threatened your life. Then I shall tell you something about the man-in-white that threatened my life. Does this sound a good trade to you?"
Elrohir does look at the orb in front of him. "Hmm, so you too have encountered the Mistfiends, I know not what to make of these orbs yet I have seen two. This is the first I have gotten a hold of though. I saw another adventuring group kill another of the blighters to get theirs. I wonder what is important about them." He is skirting around the issue of the vision, you can tell he probably has seen one but seems to be avoiding the topic. Likely because he doesn't want to give away information that he could trade. He is unsure of how much the group knows.
Rikaku stares boredly at this strange half-orc. The intricacies of human-ish races made very little sense to him, not to mention the variety of languages he couldn't understand flying around left and right. He yawns wide as Elrohir goes on and on and on and on...
"Elrohir know man in white?" Rikaku suddenly chirps up, arching a scaled eyebrow. "But Rikaku think better to be careful with orb, not throw like ball..."
Valdrim gives the man a cautious look.
You say that only fear of a possible defeat keeps you from attacking us for what you would take or know? There are many mercenaries in this area but I've not met someone who was so blatant in their lack of morals or honour.
Elrohir nods his head at Malthu "Yes I did, wasn't easy though and I did get the drop on it. I wasn't going to run at the thing head on, that most likely would have killed me. I made sure to set a trap, I was after one of these fine trinkets myself. I'd say it was successful. I do like to toot my own horn but you are right, it was no simple task. If I had the skills just to swing my sword at it willy nilly, I'd be slaying far more fearsome beasts in my spare time!" He giggles.
"I do not know the man-in-white personally but I know of him, we are all out here trying to find a culprit aren't we? I think he is as big culprit as any." Elrohir does stop throwing the orb at Rikaku's behest. Thinking better of a group that might know quite a lot of the situation at hand.
He smiles at Variel "Oh no, don't get me wrong I only really know of two ways to get information. That is either trading/bargaining for it and beating people up. I am just saying that IF I wanted to take the other option I am most surely outmatched. So regardless of the state, bargaining seems to be the way to go. The fact that you didn't draw your swords at me immediately means you are fairly good fellows I'd think. So I don't think I'd want to beat you up, I'd rather get the prize first hehehe." He smiles slyly thinking of all the gold that the Regent has promised for this task.
Elrohir sighs "So I've still got this juicy deal open, what do you say?"
Drak sees this quickly esclating into a battle of ego so he steps forward.
Quid Pro Quo. We came across some sort of mutant creature being used a hive for various forms of insects and bugs - most notably wasps and leeches. To kill it, use salt. Your turn, what do you know about the man in white.
Trogg studies Elrohir warily, uncertain what his aims are or how far they can trust him.
Elrohir plants his sword in the ground leaning on it. "Well that's all well and good, a mutant creature. You think that has something much to do with the house? Okay how bout I entice you for a little more info than that, I know how to use those portals that the man-in-white uses for his minions. In fact I used a couple already. It's how I am keeping up with the competition on foot. Would you like to know how? The man-in-white's minions are in areas that they find important. So... do you know why this place is important? If you do and you tell me, I'll tell you how those portals work and why they are there. Sound good to you?" Elrohir doesn't seem too satisfied with Drak's answer but Drak has opened him up for discussing things on a slightly more friendly note.
Trogg reckons Elrohir is trying to go fast and loose to get information. He seems trustworthy in the sense that he hasn't lied to you yet. However Trogg's gut feeling is that this man will do anything for his goal, so keeping him close might be a bad idea.
An Elf...and an Orc? I didn't know that was possible...
Rybal listens, eying the orb in the creature's hand.
"Rikaku want know about portals!" The kobold chirps, although he's clearly not willing to speak up unless someone else gives him permission.
Drak looks at the rest of his group, proceeding slowly, letting them interrupt him if they think he starts to reveal too much.
"The mansion is old and there is an odd but powerful magic about the place. If you want to know more about that you might want to speak to him." Drak gestures towards Variel. The owner of the house seemed to be an enemy of the man-in-white."
Drak hesitates then continues.
"You also speak of portals. There is one inside. You say you know how to use them?"
Elrohir tilts his head and smiles. "Ah thank you, was that so hard. Hehe." He smiles and hefts the sword. It looks like he is about to swing but he is in fact sheathing it. As he brings his sword behind him you see a sheathe materialize slowly on the length of the blade. Starting from the centre it unfurls to cover the blade then he attaches it to his back.
"That is quite a find there, a deal is a deal, I'll tell you what I know." He reaches into one of his pouches and takes out a shattered green crystal similar to the one found on the Vulpinal.
"The portals from what I can tell are manifestions of the man-in-white that have asked a desire of him. Once the desire, whatever that might be has been fulfilled one of those rooms appears and his minions clear the place out. Of at least the 'important' things. The main minions that travel through there are ones with these crystals." He holds up one of the larger chunks of the broken shards in his hand, Elrohir then tosses it at Drak.
"You need to know the symbol of where you are headed to actually use it but other than that it is just thinking about it. Anyone on the pad will teleport with you. It is the man-in-white's dispatch routes as far as I can tell. If you know of any of the symbols I'd suggest you memorize them they will come in useful." Elrohir laughs. "I'll still beat you to the prize, but good competition is hard to come by. Keep that shard, I've got plenty spares. I beat up a fairly insane unicorn for these."
Elrohir pockets the stones he has left then looks towards the house, for the first time you see him slightly shocked. Elrohir rubs his eyes then blinks furiously for a brief moment, mutters under his breath. "Nahh... must be my imagination." He then bows to the rest of the group. "Thank you very much for the trade, it has been quite useful. I hope you find my info quite as useful. It is a pity that the mansion must now be empty I shall depart from here for further spoils. Oh here's a tip for free, don't bother with the other mansion to the east. Some group with a Rich boy and a silent bowman already ransacked the place, they had some goblin doing a poor job of hiding himself as well. Gods know why, anyway fare thee well." Elrohir then begins to leave through the forest once more.
Drak lets him go ponders everything that's been said.
A half-elf half-orc. Surprises just keep coming.... Any idea what could have shaken him so?
Drak attempts to see what has shaken there newest.... acquaintance.
Drak takes a quick look round as Elrohir is regaining his composure. As he looks back at the house it blinks from existence for a fraction of a second but returns as the mind registers it missing. It feels to have flickered before Drak's eyes.
Well this meeting was... interesting. Sticking to the orignal plan of heading back to town and dropping the weapons at the smithy and finding the cavern in the morning? I for one could also use one hell of a good nights sleep.
Drak gives a small sigh and talks quietly to himself.
There is so much to do and examine and not enough time to do it in
Rikaku nods to Drak, obviously sleepy. The comments from the half-orc had mostly confirmed his suspicions rather than alerted him to anything particularly new, so he was rather disappointed by the whole exchange and was much more interested in snuggling up and sleeping.
Yes, and let's get a move on early tomorrow. All this talk of tomes and magic bores me. If we don't find something I can hit, I might join Elrohir, even though he is half an Elf. A toothy smile takes the edge off Rybal's comments.
Once Elrohir is out of earshot, Trogg points out that they still haven't found the scale they were looking for.
Drak grumbles, he would rather start fresh tomorrow but will go along with the proposed plan.
The group spends most of the rest of the evening looking for the scale in the house. Eventually Trogg finds it pressed inside one of the books in the library that the goblins were looking through. It is a pristine white scale about the size of a books page, which is how it was concealed. It is the exact same colour as the diary that Rikaku found in there the other day. There is very few details on the scale itself, it is just plain white with a curve shaping it to presumably whatever creature owned it.
After they look over the scale the party rushes to the portal to give it a try. With one of them holding the green crystal in place and stepping with the group onto the circle they see the room spin and the furniture change however the room itself is the same size and shape. As expected as all the rooms you found like this are the same except for what is in them. Stepping out you find yourselves in the halfling tunnels that easily can send you back to Chamarel.