"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.
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"The notes on the painting struck me as realistic, though I wouldn't be able to interpret them. Perhaps it's some code to open some door, or trigger some clue? If we don't have the musical talent, maybe we should use the wand? I'd hate to waste a charge, though." Marco helps the group examine the bas-reliefs at the southwest corner.
Brak and Oti close in on the bas-relief in the southwest corner that seems indicated in the painting. Selter's keen eyes notice another letter "I" in the center of the carving much like the one found on the statue at Swift Prison.
Before Garver leaves to look for a minstrel, Mujenbai makes an attempt at the tune and 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 manages a fair rendition of the music. 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.
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Marco winces as Selter tries to sing. He shrugs when Mujembai tries. It's worth a shot. He raises his eyebrows in surprise when it works.
"Impressive! I'm sure a few of the Society's foes wish you had pursued that talent instead!"
Marco joins the group comparing the stains to the map. "It might match some specific map that the Groetians collected from the Hall of Wonders' archives, but unless there's some standard scale that has been used through history, the odds are against us that this would match the map that we received by happenstance."
"To me, it looks like a creepy happyface. If these two eyes represent the Hall of Wonders and Quickfall Abbey... but the Hall of Wonders wasn't part of the prophecy... maybe the eyes are the Hall of Records and Quickfall Abbey, and the leftmost part of the mouth is Swift Prison, but then the rest of the mouth would fall outside of the borders of Cassomir...." He shakes his head. "I think we don't have enough information. This does suggest, however, that we missed the clue at Swift Prison. I thought it might have been the direction that the statue's open palm was pointing, but I suppose we should look for a hidden compartment when we return."
"For now, let us continue to the Abbey, as planned. Let us revisit the clues when we've found the next one."
Garver confirms that there is no sign of danger at the Hall of Records. "All seems well here. The last of the clerks has locked up and gone home. 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.
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.
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Mujenbai presses against the "I" and notices that the smooth stone seems 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.
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Jorag fussed over Mujenbai, dusting him off and checking his wounds "So eager Mujenbai, good thing you didnt dislodge a boulder. I cant heal dead." He gave a smirk at his somewhat inappropriate joke.
Tapping the large man twice with his healing wand, Jorag looked satisfied before turning to the scroll. After a short inspecting of both it and the previous one, he frowned. "Well I guess it wouldnt be fun if it was easy." He mumbled. "My first thought was that the circles might line up with the lines, but that doesnt seem to be the case. Perhaps we need another clue for this to make sense?"
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"Yes, I don't see how the circles and the square can overlap... hold on. Hand me the city map!"
Marco traces his finger along the roads leading from the square on the west side of town. "Here, I think. And the lines are the roads leading from it. I think this is our first location!"
"Let me see the clue from the Hall of Records. Let's see... 5 buildings in a smiley face pattern... not the Abbey. Here. The Citadel. The circles are the towers."
"Let's return to the statue at Swift Prison and unearth the third clue, so that we can triangulate this entrance."
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"Well you are certainly smart enough for me not to argue with your reasoning Marco." Jorag said with his usual smile. "Even if I had a better idea. Lets not tarry further, lets go!"
He set of in the direction of Swift Prison, getting far ahead before realizing the others werent quite as fast. "Morning jogs gentlemen, morning jogs."
A quick jog through the streets and you have returned to Swift Prison, standing at the feet of the Gilded Lady. The golden statue regards you with her uncaring gaze, her hand extended, demanding tribute. Everything seems calm with the prisoners and guards still going about business as usual.
The painting appears to be of Swift Prison itself, but it shows a terrifyingly skewed perspective. The once-beautiful statue stares back transformed, her visage twisted into a demonic snarl. Small, grey humanoids with large, white eyes prowl among the cells tormenting cowering prisoners in the painting’s background. In the foreground, a lone figure brandishes a radiant holy symbol as he falls before a horde of the grey creatures at the foot of the sinister statue.
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Follow Mujenbai work, Jorags gaze lingered for several long moments on the man as he looked back at him. When Mujenbai finally raised his eyebrow, Jorag started, looking flustered. "Oh, right, uhm, well I dont know." He walked around the statue, tapping its base with his foot. "Maybe theres more to the symbolism of the outstretched hand? Suppose enough weight was applied to it? It may function like a lever?"
Climbing as far up as he could managed, he called Mujenbai over. "Give me a hand here lad, ill try dangling from the arm, see if it budges."
Dangling from the statue's hand and placing gold in her palm prove fruitless. Selter thinks he can see the faint outline of a compartment which may open in her left foot, just below the "I", but it does not yield to pressure at all. Something else must trigger the mechanism to release it.
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Jorag shrugged with a defeated look on his face. "Well I suppose its worth a shot, though puzzles and secrets arent exactly one of mighty Kurgess' strengths."
Turning to the statue, he held his hands above his head, a pleading motion to the heavens. "Mighty Kurgess', your servants beseech you for answers where there seem to be none. Light the path that good may be done in your name!"
Looking around a moment, he lowered his hands, an apologetic smile on his lips. "Truth be told, I didnt expect much out of that, the gods dont usually intervene based upon mere prayers. But it was worth a shot."
Shrugging once more, he performed the rites, conjuring up the power of Kurgess with some of his own.
Jorag's display of reverence brings no response, but as the positive energy of his channel washes over the statue, you hear a familiar whirring and then *click*. A compartment in the statue's foot opens and you find another odd parchment.
Interactive Map of Northern Cassomir
Garver looks over the triangulated location on the map and scratches his head. "Hmm, that's near 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. Marco double checks his 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. Jorag soon locates another "I" embossed in the white stone. Mujenbai further scrutinizes the area and locates 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.
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