Esmaralda goes through the equipment, potions and notes.
Carefully tasting the potions, Esmaralda determines they are a potion of barkskin, potion of bull's strength, potion of cat's grace, potion of darkvision, potion of fire breath, potion of invisibility, potion of protection from arrows, and potion of reduce person. She also finds what looks like a scroll of some kind, and a masterwork cestus.
Going through the notes on the table, she finds they mostly deal with alchemical processes she's unfamiliar with. They all appear to have been written by someone named "Dolland Regelore." The ones not dealing alchemicals talk about what seems to be his former apprentice, Sharlise, who seems to be setting a lot of traps. However, the way he writes about her seems like she's still around, and Esmaralda finds the word "Gearghost."
Formed from the unquiet soul of a thief wrenched from life by a wicked trap, a gearghost delights in rigging up the same threats and tortures to which it succumbed. Eager to witness the deaths of others, the gearghost prowls the place of its death, constantly maintaining and resetting any traps in that area as it waits for victims to fall into its clutches. A gearghost also has the ability to create and set new traps, and as such its lair is usually choked with perilous new snares, spikes, and pits. A gearghost only keeps treasure as a lure for hapless adventurers, often using such treasure as the trigger for one of its devious creations.
The rest of the notes seem to have been written about Dolland's attempts to get into some kind of vault, which he has so far been unsuccessful at cracking the combination for, as well as detailing several traps that have been rigged by Sharlise in the next room, where Kiley found a pressure plate.
"Nice trick there, Hen. I can do that one, too. Just with armor and weapons, though."
Cam peeks over Esmaralda's shoulder and spots the name. "Oh boy, those like to set and maintain traps. Better watch ourselves."
Tellanya nods quietly as she reads, "a disquiet spirit indeed - I wonder how we will put it to rest?" She looks thoughtful.
"Uh, a-a-a spirit? You m-m-mean like a g-g-g-ghost," Kiley asks as she looks up from the trap she'd been looking over. Her face grows pale, the sickly grey-white of someone sick or very, very scared.
Tellanya laughs merrily, ”no, little one, spirits are nothing to fear. You have always encountered them. They are in all things - the spirits have helped your swordarm many times - if you are a frightened then imagine the future is the past when you have already gotten over your fear!” She pats Kiley on the shoulder.
Cam knows that gearghosts don't have any particular weaknesses, and she also knows that they are able to resist holy energy channeled by priests, as well as coming back to life after being defeated. Of note, they are not incorporeal, even though most ghosts are.
Tellanya knows that a gearghost will reform in anywhere from 2-12 days after being defeated. To permanently destroy a gearghost, holy water must be poured over its remains while within an area that has been hallowed by a priest. There also cannot be any functioning traps within a one hundred foot proximity to the remains.
"I-I wish I could," Kiley mutters. "Some wounds don't heal."
Kiley can't hear anything through the doors, and Stryn doesn't find any traps, so Cam opens the doors. This room appears to be nothing more than a hallway surrounding a 15-foot-by-10-foot room. A double door exits the room to the east and a single door allows passage to the north. The western reaches are choked with rubble. A large stone door on the south side of the central section bears a carving of a seven-pointed star. Seven round knobs, each etched with their own runes, each protrude from a point of this central starshaped carving.
Standing in the room off to the side is a red-bearded dwarf with a vial in his hand, a force shield floating before him.
Cam sets the flat of her blade one her shoulder. ”Well how ya doin’ there, buddy. Now, seems to me that—“
Oh no you don’t, Cam! This one looks like an alchemist.
”Quiet, Ira, trying to talk here. Now, as I was saying—“
You owe me! After all those roadkeeper chumps. I didn’t complain when you let those run off. So gimme this one.
”Uh, just a moment. Having a bit of a domestic here.”
Cam sets the flat of her blade one her shoulder. ”Well how ya doin’ there, buddy. Now, seems to me that—“
Oh no you don’t, Cam! This one looks like an alchemist.
”Quiet, Ira, trying to talk here. Now, as I was saying—“
You owe me! After all those roadkeeper chumps. I didn’t complain when you let those run off. So gimme this one.
”Uh, just a moment. Having a bit of a domestic here.”
Cam's disjointed attempt at Diplomacy doesn't seem to phase the dwarf, who pulls out a vial, shakes it, and then tosses it at her.
Cam's armor keeps the worst of the acid that explodes from it from hitting her, but it still splashes her, Kiley, Esmaralda, and Stryn.
He then moves further away from the group, towards the other side of the stone room in the middle.
Cam - 23/29?
Stryn - 20/26?
Kiley - 15/26?
Esmaralda - 13/19?
"Aaargh!" yells Esmaralda, doubling over in pain. She takes a step back, steadies her breath, and begins a battle song to inspire her comrades.
*♫ "From the Falls of Norgortha
To the Aspodells' bright spires
To the surf by Augustana
Let our freedom light its fires." ♫♪
Tellanya notes that their enemies seem to be hells-bent on blasting them, so she summons her spirit friends to help guard their bodies and souls. "You have been aided by the spirits, companions!"
She shakes her longspear at the fellow, but cannot move into the room!
With Kiley taking the front line, Cam begins to circle around to the other side to catch the foe in a flank.
Henric makes his way to Kiley to back her up, staff in hand. "We've got this guy!" he encourages her.
"Aaargh!" yells Esmaralda, doubling over in pain. She takes a step back, steadies her breath, and begins a battle song to inspire her comrades.
Tellanya notes that their enemies seem to be hells-bent on blasting them, so she summons her spirit friends to help guard their bodies and souls. "You have been aided by the spirits, companions!" She shakes her longspear at the fellow, but cannot move into the room!
Kiley moves into the room and swings her greatsword at the dwarf, but the swing goes high over his head.
Henric makes his way to Kiley to back her up, staff in hand. "We've got this guy!" he encourages her.
Stryn goes to circle around and flank the dwarf.
With Kiley taking the front line, Cam begins to circle around to the other side to catch the foe in a flank.
The dwarf takes a step back from Kiley and drinks the flask in his hand, then exhales a cone of flames over her and Henric!
Cam - 23/29?
Stryn - 20/26
Kiley - 21/26 (-10)
Esmaralda - 13/19
Henric - 30/30 (-10)
Immediate Action: Aegis (2 Mental Focus; 6 hp buffer)
As Henric twists to avoid the fire, he lifts his arms in front of him and wills a shield into existence to absorb the damage.
In response, Henric makes his way over to the dwarf and takes a hard swing with his staff.
Move Action: Move 15' feet
Standard Action:
Kiley spins out of the worst of the blast and then up into the dwarf's face. She's unhurt, the acid having mainly irritated her skin and the fire not even accomplishing that much. Her clothing, however, sported a few holes where the acid had burned through and now had patches that had been singed by the flames. The young woman wasn't given to fits of temper most of the time, but she liked having nice things and she's wearing a nice outfit.
"Stop messing up my clothes! I like this outfit!"
Tellanya follows through the door and stands next to Camellia.
Esmaralda continues her song, while moving a wand over some of her wounds.
*♫ "From the silent woods of Darkmoon
To the bells of Oregent
Hear the song of our free union
And let no more knees be bent." ♫♪
Cam finishes circling around into a flankwith Henric, bringing a slash down on the head of the alchemist.
As Henric twists to avoid the fire, he lifts his arms in front of him and wills a shield into existence to absorb the damage.
In response, Henric makes his way over to the dwarf and takes a hard swing with his staff that misses.
Tellanya follows through the door and stands next to Camellia.
Kiley spins out of the worst of the blast and then up into the dwarf's face. She's unhurt, the acid having mainly irritated her skin and the fire not even accomplishing that much. Her clothing, however, sported a few holes where the acid had burned through and now had patches that had been singed by the flames. The young woman wasn't given to fits of temper most of the time, but she liked having nice things and she's wearing a nice outfit. "Stop messing up my clothes! I like this outfit!" The floating shield of force blocks her sword from striking the dwarf, however.
Stryn moves down to flank with Kiley and stabs at the dwarf.
Stryn finds an opening and stabs the Dwarf.
Esmaralda continues her song, while moving a wand over some of her wounds.
Cam finishes circling around into a flank with Henric, bringing a slash down on the head of the alchemist. She, too, batters his defenses aside to score a blow.
The dwarf, seeing he's in a bad situation, steps between the gap left by Kiley and Henric, then turns and again breathes flames, this time over Kiley and Cam!
Dolland - 30/46
Cam - 26/29
Stryn - 20/26
Kiley - 21/26
Esmaralda - 18/19
Henric - 30/30
Henric stays on the defensive, giving someone an advantage against the foe.
Full-Attack Action:
Esmaralda continues her song from the hallway.
*♫ "From the mountains of the Five Kings
To the southern margin's strand
To the Andoshen's beginnings
All the gods have blessed our land." ♫♪
Esmaralda peeks around the door frame and launches a tanglefoot bag at their foe!
Again Kiley dances out of the way of the worst of the flames, but she can still feel the heat where they singe her clothes. She spins around the dwarf, cutting off his escape and glares at him as she looks at him with a snarl that shows off her fangs. Her tail comes out from under the scarves around her waist and hips to help her balance, and her pupils narrow into slits as she focuses on the dwarf.
"STOP IT! IT DOESN'T WORK ON ME!" She screams in his face after he ducks her swing and she can see him taking in another breath.
Camellia growls as she takes the full brunt of the fire, too. She stomps forward and slashes in retaliation at the dwarf alchemist.
Tellanya jogs up, "this was quite an experience, catching up to this fellow." She waves at the dwarf, "hello!" She hefts her spear and tries to take a stab at him.
Henric stays on the defensive, giving someone an advantage against the foe as his staff strike misses.
Tellanya jogs up, "this was quite an experience, catching up to this fellow." She waves at the dwarf, "hello!" She hefts her spear and tries to take a stab at him.
Stryn moves up to stab him.
His attack fails.
Again Kiley dances out of the way of the worst of the flames, but she can still feel the heat where they singe her clothes. She spins around the dwarf, cutting off his escape and glares at him as she looks at him with a snarl that shows off her fangs. Her tail comes out from under the scarves around her waist and hips to help her balance, and her pupils narrow into slits as she focuses on the dwarf. "STOP IT! IT DOESN'T WORK ON ME!" She screams in his face after he ducks her swing and she can see him taking in another breath.
Esmaralda continues her song from the hallway. Esmaralda peeks around the door frame and launches a tanglefoot bag at their foe!
The tanglefoot bag splashes onto him, sticking to him and the floor, preventing him from moving!
Camellia growls as she takes the full brunt of the fire, too. She stomps forward and slashes in retaliation at the dwarf alchemist, striking hard.
The dwarf struggles against the goo, drawing out a short sword as he does.
Dolland - 17/46
Cam - 26/29
Stryn - 12/26
Kiley - 21/26
Esmaralda - 18/19
Henric - 30/30
Energized by the fight, Tellanya flexes and stabs out at the dwarf, viciously.
Tellanya frowns and says, "look, maybe you should just give up."
"You've got this, Kiley!" Henric calls out, keeping up the pressure.
Full-Attack Action:
Cam winds up for another overhead slash.
Finish him! Right on the soft part of the neck and down across his body.
She brings her sword down as Ira suggests, a powerful and precise swing
Kiley snarls again as she sees him drawing a sword and finally scores on him when she rams hers in his chest up to the leather-wrapped ricasso.
"I. Said. Stop." Each word comes out clipped and cold, like shards of ice.
Stuck to the floor and surrounded by the party, the Dwarf's defenses no longer hold as first Tellanya's spear strikes him, then Kiley rams her greatsword into his chest while Cam slices open his neck. The now very dead dwarf half slumps to the ground, still held up somewhat by the sticky tanglefoot residue anchoring him.
The spirits whisper, "You've found it! This is the vault. The gauntlets are what you seek."
You're able to pick up the dwarf's very nice short sword. It looks like he has more, but the tanglefoot bag goo makes searching him difficult.
Tellanya has an odd look on her face, as she nods, and then walks towards the doorway nearby, "yes, this is where we went. Here - " She points at the door, "we found the gauntlets in there."
She smiles at Stryn, and asks "Stryn, you checked this for traps, if I am not mistaken."
It looks like she wants to get into the room nearby, and is doing everything she can to contain herself from just wandering in.
Esmaralda comes out of hiding and inquires about injuries, her healing wand at the ready.
After a few seconds, the tanglefoot goo falls off the dwarf, allowing him to be easily searched.
masterwork short sword
3 acid flasks
2 antitoxins
3 doses of blue whinnis
2 doses of terinav root
very nice studded leather armor
formula book
masterwork thieves' tools
a small cloth bag
35 gp
Stryn gives Tellanya a funny look, but checks the doors for traps.
He doesn't find any, and says so.
The door itself is locked with what appears to be a combination lock, in the shape of the Sihedron Rune.
Esmaralda will detect magic on the loot.
Esmaralda finds the armor and the bag are magical, but doesn't know what kind of enchantments they have.
Camellia sheathes her sword and sighs before beginning to help look the dead foe over.
If Tellanya seems phased by Kiley's monstrous form, it doesn't seem like it. She grows insistent, as she taps on the door. "This is the important thing we find - this is where we found the gauntlet." Her brow furrows - "it's hard to explain - we need to open this door?" She cocks her head as she concentrates on the immediate surroundings.
Esmaralda finds the armor and the bag are magical, but doesn't know what kind of enchantments they have.
Esmaralda turns the items around, looking for markings or signatures that could tie them to the crafters.
Cam studies the armor, finding it to have a basic magical enchantment to give it better protection . Esmaralda studies the magical auras on the bag, eventually determining it to be a bag of holding .
Looking in the bag, she finds a bejeweled silver holy symbol in the vague shape of a peacock and a note.
This is a holy symbol for a cult that worships an entity known as the Peacock Spirit.
Dolland,
I look forward to your return, and to the wonders you’ve
gathered for me from the vault. Again, you need not fear
reprisals from your fellow Roadkeepers once you return, for
the defenses here at Peacock Manor will protect you well.
The magic bag is yours to keep, my gift to you. Best of luck
on cracking the code on that door—in the meantime; I’ll
continue to seek alternate methods among my contacts
in Magnimar for magical solutions. And I’ve a line on
an adamantine pick that will help, if my contact in
Riddleport can follow through on her promises. In any event,
we shall talk again soon, I pray!
—C.
"Interesting. This symbol is associated with the Peacock Spirit cult. The dwarf's name here was 'Dolland,' based on this note, and he's been trying to pry open a vault. There is a code associated with it... his employer is investigating ways to magically open it in the meantime. Any of you retrieved some kind of clue about this vault before I joined you in your adventures?"
The Cult of the Peacock Spirit was a cult widely worshiped in Ancient Thassilon, before Earthfall.
EDIT: Reminders for the group.
"Let me see... cult of the Peacock Spirit... probably active around these parts way back when yes?.... anyone here has come across knowledge on this subject?"
Henric wracks his brain for anything that he might have read recently regarding such a group. "I'm sure...." he trails off, getting lost in his own thoughts.