The vapor obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature 5 feet away has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker cannot use sight to locate the target).
Otiophon angles around the woman, drawing a swing from her heavy flail which rebounds off his armor harmlessly. He lashes out with his longsword, narrowly landing his strike. The woman hisses in pain and she appears badly wounded now. Frindlikh takes advantage of the positioning and stabs her in the back, twisting the blade to bring her to her knees.
"All will be consumed by his glory!" she screamed, spraying bloody froth as she slumped to the table, bleeding out.
|
As the woman falls onto the tabletop before him, Oti drops his longsword and begins attempting first aid.
Remarkably, he succeeds, stopping the woman from bleeding out. "As the lady says, it isn't going to be that easy for you. Frinklikh, could you search her and get her tied up and then I'll wake her back up?" Oti says, quickly snatching away the cleric's unholy symbol, spell component pouch, and weapons. "Oh, and Frindlikh, remember how the other one had that love note 'tucked away' under her armor," Oti speaks a little euphemistically. "And, is the gnome upstairs being helped?"
Oti retrieves and sheathes his longsword, causes a wand of curing to spring into his hand and proceeds to heal up Svetlana and then himself.
Oti will wake her back up with his smelling salts when she is secured. "Now, where did you take the engineers?!" Oti starts, glaring and trying to look formidable, while Svetlana provides the bulk of the intimidation.
Unfortunately, searching the woman and the half-orc thugs yields no further information. They carry only mundane gear with the exception of the woman's masterwork heavy flail. Upon closer examination, the Pathfinders are sure that she is not the same woman they have faced before, but appears to bear a strong familial resemblance to her, perhaps a sibling or a cousin.
The gnome clears her throat, "Thank you for your help. My name is Queck and I'm the ranking engineer here. I suppose I'll repeat what I told your friend here. They slipped in as we were all engrossed in work, and I don't think anyone realized what was happening until they jumped out of that infernal mist and grabbed us all up! They ransacked our guild and stole ancient city plans — not to mention kidnapping six of my best engineers! They demanded we hand over any blueprints that detailed the Crypt of Fools. They said something about keeping the location of hidden tunnels a secret. But they took more plans than just that. A group of them left with nearly every city map and the entire cache of ancient Ismacco plans. I overheard that woman telling the cultist who led the kidnapped engineers away that she was staying behind to f ind out if we knew anything else about the Crypt of Fools and the tunnels. She then said, ‘Tell Dalirio he can have these.’ What did she mean by that?”
|
|
Oti comes up, disgusted, after talking to the Ismacco woman. After being assured of the well-being of Queck, he responds, "We don't know why they kidnapped the engineers. It may just be because, as we have seen before, Dalirio Teppish and Luscilia Ismacco were working with the monstrous underground race known as the 'derro', who are notorious slavers. Engineers, though, could have some special usefulness to whatever secret plan they have been advancing, perhaps associated with the secret tunnels you mention. The tunnels might be used for the capture and transportation of slaves, as they have used the sewer system and the undercity previously. But, we have reasons to suspect Dalirio may be back from the dead, so there is no telling what foul plans he has now."
"But, we may be wasting precious time: how long ago were the engineers taken and where were they taken - perhaps to this 'Crypt of Fools'? There may be an entrance to these secret tunnels near here, since dragging captives through the city would be very obvious."
Brak grunts his agreement with Otiophon. "We should follow them." he says. He turns to Queck. "Did you get a look at those plans? Any idea where the entrance is?" he asks.
As the seconds tick by the spell eventually expires and the Hall of Wonders is again clear of the obscuring mist.
"I didn't see which way they went, I'm afraid. But she wasn't wrong that I had more information. The Crypt of Fools is a secret graveyard, long fallen from use, where traitorous families were buried, or in some cases re-buried, to scrub their stain from Taldan history.
The stories say the entrance lies under an ancient fountain hidden somewhere below Old Cassomir, though the knowledge of its exact location was lost some time ago and finding it presents a bit of a problem. A legend among engineers tells of a series of hidden clues within three Cassomir monuments. These clues yield three locations which, when triangulated, give the location of the surface entrance to the Crypt of Fools; they also show the combination required to unlock the entrance. Look for old buildings built by the Ismacco family, whom we’ve long suspected used the Crypt of Fools as the base of their heinous operations after it fell from use.”
Queck chuckles, holding her hands up in front of her. "No, no! Once was enough, thank you. Yes, that sounds right. The construction of the entire Swift Prison was headed by Ismacco engineers... I’ve been asking the city to destroy that Groetus-festooned statue for years. Ismacco engineers have been involved in building many sites here in Cassomir. They built the Imperial Hall of Records, the Admiralty Citadel, and the Harbor Watch; laid the stone that makes up the square around Pharasma’s Pulpit; built retaining walls to shore up some of the ruins at Quickfall Abbey.”
The gnome ducks into one of the offices and returns lumbering under the weight of a heavy bag. She hands the load over to the pathfinders along with a map case containing a map of Cassomir.
"Here take this, and these. I always keep a map to work from and had this tucked away. Perhaps it will help you find them quickly!"
Inside the bag are 4 potions of cure light wounds and a wand of detect secret doors with 5 charges remaining.
|
|
Oti looks at the map and, lacking the necessary skills and tools in geometry, roughly places the 'middle' of the three sites as somewhere near the north of the Admiralty Citadel or the Imperial Hall of Records. "But, are the clues more literally within the three monuments? The statue, the subject of the first painting, will be relatively easy to search for hidden compartments, especially with this wand, but the second two are more difficult unless we know where to start: The Hall of Records and ruins of Quickfall Abbey seem like large places to search for clues."
"Svetlana, do you have the paintings and the abstracts?" Bringing them out, Oti will ask of Queck, "Can you help us be more specific with the last two? And would you have the tools for triangulating a location?"
|
Kurse will walk over to the pile of plans pulling a note out of his pocket. "Look here are a bunch of planss the cultisstss were going through." He picks up the pile and starts walking back with it before the whole pile slips from his fingers and goes flying off in random directions due to some unseen force. Kurse sighs, "you jusst can't help yoursself can you Sslipss."
The gnome nods sagely to Otiophon's questions, "Aye, within is what the legend says. And you correctly deduce why it's neither been confirmed or denied yet. I've done some looking myself, but the Ismacco monuments are many and vast. You say you have some paintings to show me?" Queck looks stunned when you show her the mad painter's masterpieces, blinking and looking again in earnest.
"Brigh's bronze bodice! Who painted this devilry?" she asks the question, but does not wait for the answer as a look of panic comes over her. She looks them over quickly, seeming to understand the gravity of your task. "The first is Swift Prison, obviously. The second is indeed the Imperial Hall of Records, but it looks like this bas-relief is highlighted for some reason... Are these meant to be clues to the locations of the clues? The mind boggles... moving on! The third is most certainly the ruined district of Quickfall Abbey, it looks to me like the northeastern retaining wall that shores up some of the ruined towers. There is only one gate through on that side... but that's the only point of reference I see here."
"Triangulation is a simple matter and can be achieved with a simple straight-edged ruler. I can get you one of those." Queck fetches this last item along with a nearly transparent sheet of vellum and a piece of sharpened charcoal and says, "The Hall of Records is the closest, so you might want to start there.
Garver arrives with a group of City Watchmen to take over the criminals you have seized. He leads the Pathfinders south to the Imperial Hall of Records. "Did you want to speak with one of the clerks? We might be too late to catch anyone still working. You know those government chaps don't stay a moment longer than necessary."
When they arrive the Pathfinders wonder at the accurate, yet demented, image the painter put to canvas. Twisted scenes are the subject of the bas-relief carvings in the painter's visions, but they are but a darkened mirror of the reality before you, for the exact number and position of the monuments is incredibly precise down to the figures in the carvings, though the attitude of the true scenes is more solemn and official looking.
The second painting depicts a stately, white stone building surrounded by three-foot-tall bas-reliefs which circle the building’s outside walls at ground level. The same small grey creatures stand atop the halls steps and punish men bound in chains — all of whom appear to be wearing the robes of Taldan government officials. At the southwest corner of the building, the bas-relief glows a bright white where the same lone figure from the first painting attempts to sooth a group of frightened children by playing a flute — the notes of his music are actually painted above him on the canvas in striking detail.
|
|
Oti suggests to Garver and a City Watchman, "It would be good to notify someone - at least the guards - if we are to be tampering with government buildings. Perhaps if we rush, as we must, you may search out an authority while we begin to look for the hidden clue."
"Sir , we are the Pathfinders who have been rescuing hostages from the derro and their allies and must immediately search this relief, which may contain a clue as to their next scheme."
"Would some one of us be able to detect if there is magic at play in the relief?"
"Are there any secret catches to be found, pressing on the figures?"
Oti does not scan the details well, as he rarely does anyway, and his mind keeps racing back to the hostages and inescapable passage of precious time. Instead, he paces back and forth uselessly.
"Can anyone sing, play or hum that tune? A flute would probably be best. Demented as he is, he is very specific about the details to his paintings."
Garver nods and goes off to find if someone is still present to inform as Oti asks.
Detect magic reveals no auras so Brak and Oti close in on the bas-relief that seems indicated in the painting. Brak's keen eyes notice another letter "I" in the center of the carving much like the one found on the statue at Swift Prison.
|
|
Even at his age, Oti has only ever warbled his way through the Elven songs (usually quietly enough that he wouldn't offend their more sensitive ears), grunted his way through martial songs, and respectfully hummed along to the holy hymns to Iomedae. Still, it seems that he may have been inspired by events...
Otiophon hums a few bars of the somewhat familiar tune to himself until he feels he has a grasp of the harmony and rhythm and then sings out the lilting melody with a clear, resonating voice. Some unseen mechanism within the bas-relief responds to the tune and a lion-headed staff in the grasp of one of the carved statesmen *clicks* and the head swivels open to reveal a recessed map case. Inside is an aged, but well preserved parchment with a series of circles printed on it. The parchment bears a watermark of the letter "I" in the lower right corner.
|
|
On seeing the aged parchment, Oti's first thought is, "Coffee stains?" (Although he is mostly a tea drinker, Oti drinks what is available when needed.) But there are large- and small-sized rings, and Queck's words ("These clues yield three locations which, when triangulated, give the location of the surface entrance to the Crypt of Fools; they also show the combination required to unlock the entrance.") and the map quickly reveal the first of the three locations to be triangulated: "The Admiralty Citadel!"
"The 'combination' is still mysterious, although perhaps it has something to do with six towers, or that this clue came from the second painting. Where to next, the northeastern retaining wall of Quickfall Abbey, and then back to the prison's statue?"
"Perhaps the former, before it becomes too dark, though I would suggest one have holy water and ghost salt blanches prepared, in case rumors be true."
|
Frindlikh continuously looks over his shoulder, forever restless, as Otiophon discusses the way forward. Prison, Abbey... he says, almost without sound, I'd actually prefer the latter, we haven't been there before, but if you think it may get too dark, we should move to the prison first.
Frindlikh is fine with both.
Garver nods, "To the Abbey then!" He guides the Pathfinders south through Old Cassomir and through the gates to the Abbey Green. The buildings here are some of the oldest in Cassomir, constructed of stone, brick, and mortar, and generally standing no taller than three stories. Many resident merchants live here in apartments above their stores, and Abbey Green is also occupied by some of Taldor’s finest tailors, leatherworkers, jewelcrafters, and fine metalworkers. It's a busy and cheery place, in stark contrast to the ruins of Quickfall Abbey.
Quickfall Abbey is a desolate and broken place, always chilly and damp somehow no matter the weather. Stories say that the broken towers and ruined walls still weep for Aroden and will forever more. It stands like a monument to the grief and emptiness left in the deceased god's wake. Queck's directions guide you to the wall in question and the painter's vision of this place is much easier to picture in truth. You find yourself searching the shadows for the figures in his paintings, but all appears quiet.
The third painting depicts a retaining wall that shores up parts of a ruined district. It shows dozens of the angry grey humanoids smashing brightly painted urns against the retaining wall, while the same lone figure from the other paintings frantically attempts to push down an obviously barred door in the middle of the wall, presumably to escape the rows of small menacing shadows that seems to pursue him.
|
|
"It is possible that the actions of the derros have something to do with this, with their brightly-painted urns indicating something to be done with color, as the last clue suggested something with sound... This place seems very much to need to life, light and color, with its damp, cold, grey stones. Odd that the derro would be the ones to contribute anything positive, though - it could just represent desecration of the abbey."
"Hmm. The last time it was the actions of the lone figure that were what was important. This is a 'retaining wall', Queck mentioned, and one could consider the lone figure trying to get out (or it?) as being 'retained', I suppose - something kept in or out."
"Maybe there is a secret doorway here somewhere. Look for one of those 'I' marks. Or perhaps it has been repaired since first constructed, and the door fill in as more solid wall, so there may be newer stones and mortar that would mark the old doorway." Oti goes to the middle of the retaining wall, as shown in the painting, and looks for secret doors. "It shows a struggle, but perhaps just a knock?" Oti then knocks with his knuckles on the wall, like it was a door.
There is no barred door in the wall, but you are able to estimate where in the wall it should be and soon the Pathfinder's quick eyes seek out another another letter “I” symbol in the middle of the uninterrupted smooth stone wall.
|
|
"Thanks Frindlikh!" Oti says, then tries his knocking. "Hmm. Being polite didn't work. Now to shove-"
Oti pushes on the marked stone, first clumsily, slipping on the damp grass and weeds and landing flat. Picking himself up, he tries again, this time picking a good rock to brace his foot against, and asking the much-stronger Svetlana and Brak to aid the effort.
Otiophon presses against the "I" and notices that the smooth stone seems to yield slightly to the pressure and dislodge some of the mortar and dust. Certain he's on the right track, he gives the spot a sharp rap and rain of dust falls down as the panel *clicks* and then falls open. Inside is another scroll case containing the third aged parchment with an odd design.
|
|
"I believe you are correct, Frindlikh. It is a bit simplified, but it must be the place, especially with the curvy road leading from the right edge of the square."
"Hmm, yes that would be interesting, Svetlana, though we may not have to go there, since the parchment locations might be just the triangulation points..." "How not to use the word 'triangulation'?" "Um," he continues, "the 'dots' we connect on the map, making a drawing ... like in the children's drawing game." "No need to talk about bisecting the angles. Good thing I spent all of those years in schools with Elven masters - it seems I may have learned something after all."
"Anyway, we should probably first return to the statue at Swift Prison, as it is the subject of the 'first' painting. (Well, first by the position of placement on the wall, if not chronologically...)"
"Good idea, Marla." Oti says encouragingly. "Perhaps that has something to do with the combination, as to a rare lock, that we will need, Marla. We may know more with the next clue."
|
|
Oti nods respectfully to Frindlikh, uncertain whether it would be better or worse to suggest the divine, holy nature of humility.
Reaching the 'Groetus-festooned' statue at Swift Prison, Oti will first try defiantly presenting his holy symbol of Iomedae - simple and wooden though it may be - to the statue. He will then try casting Cure Light Wounds from his wand, touching it to the small letter 'I' found previously by Frindlikh and Brak.
Once returned to Swift Prison and the statue of the Gilded Lady, Otiophon begins to test his theory. First he brandishes his holy symbol before her uncaring gaze, but nothing happens. He readies his wand, but first touches the "I" symbol with his holy symbol and you hear a familiar whirring and then *click*. A compartment in the state's foot opens and you find another odd parchment.
Interactive Map of Northern Cassomir
|
|
"They're digging in the wrong place!"
Oti looks at the parchment and scans that map of Cassomir, then says, "The Harbor Watch towers!"
Taking the sheet of transparent velum and the sharpened charcoal given to them by Queck, Oti marks each of three locations on the velum, then begins a process of repeatedly folding, unfolding, and marking points on the paper, talking as he does so, "Centers look good, with a line going from the center of the square of Pharasma's Pulpit, along this road to the southeast, to the apex of the center building of the Admiralty Citadel, and then from there through the main gate, to, approximately, the main tower of the Harbor Watch. (But if it is another tower we'll be way off...) Hmm. The center, largest tower forms an isosceles triangle with the other two points - that seems best, aesthetically... A few more folds and ... there should be the entrance to the Crypt of Fools!"
Garver looks over the triangulated location on the map and scratches his head. "Hmm, that's an old manor house, I think. Let's check it out."
He leads you back through Old Cassomir again and soon you arrive at an opulent manor house surrounded by a high, thick wall of marble block. Oti double checks her calculations and directs everyone to look over the wall itself as that seems to be where the triangulation indicates.
The sun has begun to set and the Pathfinders rush to look over the seemingly solid wall for a sign of something. Li, Kurse and Oti soon locate another "I" embossed in the white stone. Brak and Svetlana further scrutinize the area and locate a marble panel that seems to give slightly with pressure. They press in and a mechanism responds within and opens a 2-foot-by-4-foot section of wall, revealing a set of stone stairs that descend beneath the streets of Old Cassomir.
1)
1.5)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)