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"The folks that took over offered me triple the pay. There used to be more here, but it's just me now." The man shrugs accepting the gem to leave the dishes for someone else. "Let me just lock up quick before I go."
Heading further south you find a Lobby near the entrance. A set of couches, tables, and chairs are arranged here for guests’ comfort. Portraits of distinguished individuals hang on the walls above the couches, each bearing a small plaque with names and dates, and the floors are covered with rugs featuring bands of geometric motifs.
The facility’s botanists would normally greet visitors here, but this lobby has gone unused since the Children of Kumaru took over. The portraits are of past head researchers and the dates of their tenure. The current head researcher is a middle-aged woman with thin lips and a striking nose; a plaque beneath the portrait gives her name as Hidarra Iznisa and indicates that she has been the head researcher for the past seven months.
The room just north of the lobby stands an empty office. A large wooden desk sits in the center of this ample office. A small couch and side table sit in the corner. Several bookshelves line the walls, and carefully pruned vines grow up the west wall in complex geometric patterns around a frosted window. A door stands in the southeast corner.
This office serves the head researcher of the facility, currently a botanist by the name of Hidarra Iznisa. Hidarra is in Jolizpan, having left to demand action from the Jolizpani government after the Children of Kumaru took over.
Perception
Perception
Vanyan, checking for change like he used to in the Grand Lodge sofas, digs out a nice ring and offers it around.
”Score!” Vanyan is surprised as anyone, but usually had some good luck with finding potions of CLW and mixed coinage in the settees of main chapter house of the Pathfinders.
He also finds a nice key, and takes that too.
”If there is nothing else here, let’s move on.”
He will use the key on the next door if needed.
Aishe chuckles as the ring is found, It's amazing what people lose...
He'll move on to the last door, at least as far as he can tell. There may be a basement. He lines up, readies his crossbow, and waits for the door to be opened.
"That's... imagine losing a ring that could feed a family for years and not coming back for it...." With a shake of his head, offering the ring to more potent magic-users, he moves up to stay with Aishe.
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This large laboratory is filled with counters and tables, all covered in shreds of plant matter and various pieces of equipment, including cutting instruments, stacks of sieves, small prisms, and glass containers. The equipment is scattered about the room, and plant matter is heaped untidily all over the floor. A basin in the northeast corner of the room overflows with water. Four large glass containers, each as tall as the room, rest along the eastern wall. Three of these containers holds wet masses of fronds and thorny vines that writhe and pulse. The fourth contains a smaller shrub with vibrant blue leaves. Doors to the north, west, and south lead out of the room.
This room serves as the facility’s main laboratory. Many experiments or projects begun elsewhere in the facility make their way here after earning enough support from the botanists or when they grow too large for the smaller laboratories to comfortably house. The botanists primarily use the specialized equipment here to create new plant material and to create miniature versions of arcane networks to test new plants.
Currently, the Children of Kumaru are using the room to aid in the creation of loyal minions. They initially used the room to create wyrwoods and moved on to attempting to improve on these models. The laboratory is messy because the Children of Kumaru, eager to prove their rebellion was morally right by quickly achieving success, don’t take the time to clean up failed attempts before moving onto their next projects. Three of the glass containers contain the latest attempts to create new plant life using small fragments of the kumaru tree. The botanists plan to grow heaps of fronds and vines that can take humanoid form, but the project is a long way from completion, and the impatient botanists continually tinker with the nutrients and arcane energies the plants receive. Their latest modification was to grow sharp thorns on vines to better absorb arcane energy, but the thorns are thus far useful only for drawing blood.
Two Children of Kumaru botanists watch over the plants growing in the containers and look back as the door opens. "Quit bothering us and leave at once." Entering the room you notice your presence causes the vines plants within the containers seem to quiver and reach out sensing your presence, writhe more vigorously.
This time, Vinas expects trouble. He doesn't respond to their terse greeting. He just stares
Atium stares daggers at these.
If you were Ulfen, your mothers would box you around the ears for talking with such disrespect . Strangers and travelers have respect given, until they prove otherwise. While it took these a while to learn the proper Ulfen ways, they were never this dis-respectful.
Vanyan stays well out of sight, waiting for the goon squad to be the goon squad.
You better answer right, you walking match stick.
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Tessenarin, staying well back behind Vinas, Atium, and most importantly the vines says, "Excuse me. We have come from town, where creatures you created have attacked the city and caused serious injury to property and body. Especially mine, which I take great offense to. We have come here to ask you to stop your dangerous experiments."
Aishe mutters, "No." under his breath in response to the admonition they receive upon entry.
He waits, crossbow ready, for their response.
Vinas's eyes go wide. After so much death, so much slaughter, this is strange. He doesn't block them.
"Well, it is nice to see that you are so understanding. Could you please tell us what you were working on as you leave?"
Vanyan will enter and look about the place (with Detect Magic) and try to puzzle out what is going on and what might be of interest.
Know (arcana)
Know (nature)
Nice talking there, Tess. Saving lives with every word.
Excellent. Give us a couple hours. You can probably return and resume your jobs. The place will need new and wise leadership. Choose your best that has a good heart.
The others that took control.... they are about to have their ears boxed.
"What's through there?" Aishe asks about the two remaining chambers. Once told, he'll wait for them to depart, then check it out to be sure before moving to the stairs down.
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"We have been trying to grow heaps of fronds and vines that can take humanoid form, but the project is a long way from completion." The pair explain as they open the door to the north and south.
The shrub growing in the fourth glass cylinder was recently replanted from a different laboratory; it is a healthy sheltershrub.
To the north several shelves here hold basic scientific equipment such as cutting instruments, vials, and sieves, as well as drying racks for flowers, pressing boards, and miniaturized spyglasses to better view small objects. A door in the southern wall allows egress from this room. "This was a storage room."
The equipment stored here includes two orbs of bottled sunlightUW and a hollywreath band. The three miniaturized spyglasses act as magnifying glasses that cannot be used to light fires, but they are worth 150 gp each due to their fine construction.
"To the south is an environmental room." This room has two large glass enclosures, one along the eastern wall and one along the western wall. A glass door allows entry into each partitioned area. The eastern enclosure holds several shelves, each bearing planters containing small plants. A bright light glows above each planter. The western enclosure is similarly equipped, though different plants grow within. Large racks stand along the southern wall, each covered with plants in varying stages of drying. A door to the north leads in and out of this room.
The tools on the rack to the south include a pair of goggles with a thin strap made from stretchy plant fibers. These function as goggles of minute seeing. The largest of the plants in the western partition is a salvation cactus bearing 4 doses of fluid and 4 flowers.
The pair of botanists thank you for talking them out of it. "Maybe those fools downstairs are becoming a bit too reckless, exposing us all to danger in the pursuit of research..." The pair wholeheartedly agree to leave.
Atium moves to the northern door. Totally missing the items in the room (no perception rolls).
"Wait, Atium. Hold up. There are some interesting items here. We should avail ourselves of some, and use the others to trade."
Unless someone objects, Vanyan will take the Leshy Ring and put it on his Hand of Glory.
”Yeah, take the items, some nice magics here for the gardeners in our lives,” Vanyan agrees, and also has a strong light spell ready to go.
Vanyan helps identify and collect all the things of interest.
Aishe pauses at the goggles of minute seeing, and even tries them on. But they don't do much considering the quality of his lockpicks.
"Did'ja know that guy?" Aishe points to the hand of glory. "Aren't you worried someone's going to animate it and it'll strangle you in your sleep?"
After thoroughly looting searching, Aishe suggests leaving the shrubbery behind as too heavy to carry, and heads downstairs...
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"Are you sure someone is not going to ask us to bring them shrubbery, Aishe?" Tessenarin asks as he follows along behind.
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The group gathers the items in the loot as they keep an eye out for the requested items, unsure of exactly where they might be stored down here. Just down the stairs is another lengthy hallway leading to numerous closed doors nearby. Atium opens the nearby door to a fungal lab.
This small lab holds a stone table bearing several small containers of mushrooms, toadstools, and other types of fungi. A door to the north is ajar and leads to a small closet filled with blankets and pillows in a makeshift bed. Another door stands in the east wall.
A woman with dark braided hair hears the door open and quickly scrambles for a Tlil ask in a panic as she goes to put it on. "What is it you want?" She stammers out nervously.
"We are here from the town. Creatures created here have caused havoc in the town, and are here asking everyone to leave and abandon their dangerous research."
Vanyan nods, agreeing with Tess' words.
"Yeah."
He's again happy to have nice words rather than harsh ones as they are very new in town.
Aishe just nods his assent and checks his crossbow for smooth action.
Atium stands there stoic. Why did you scramble for that Tlil Mask? What makes it so important?
Aishe looks over at Atium and thinks a moment. ”There’s a cap I want, and don’t yet have. So in the meantime, this helps my knowledge of natural things in some ways - helpful ways. Extends my mental reach. And if we’re in a heavily wooded area, and in battle, I could gain the ability to see through it all - so I can shoot straight.” He fidgets with his similar mask, "It itches though."
He seems totally oblivious that Atium is not talking to him.
He looks at the biologists and waits.
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She sighs ripping the mask free. "Shut the door." She motions to get in the room. "I thought you were a part of the Children of Kumaru. I snuck in here a couple of days ago after being thrown out when they seized the facility. I stole this mask." She holds up the Tlil mask. "They don't seem to pay any attention to me at all as long as I am wearing it. I though I had been discovered and paniced when you opened the door."
"Ah, so you're saying we can move about more freely if we all wear these masks?" Vanyan asks, willing to put them on. "With this one, I think we have...by my count, four of them now? We just need one more...do you know where we can get another?"
"And *why* did you come down here? Why not just go into the city, maybe warn the authorities of a possible attack that might ruin my Ulfen Brother's glory?" Vanyan winks at Atium, knowing the important things to ask.
this helps my knowledge of natural
Atium is bewildered.
Um, Elfen brother - who I respect and know is amazing because he does lots of things like naming his boat in proper Ulfen tradition.I was actually asking her. She has been kind to answer.
Also, if the mask itches, boar or musk ox brains will fix that. Something about the gunk between the brain and skull gets ride of mask itch. I'll slaughter something and you will see.
ruin my Ulfen Brother's glory?"
Atium winks back and gives a waggle of the finger to signal that Vanyan got his question right.
You got that Twink. No one messes with my glory.
Vinas listens to the exchange carefully. He looks back and forth at each player in the conversation. Vanyan's relief in parley maybe short-lived. Blood will assuredly be spilled before this is over. I just hope it is theirs and not Atium's...
Aishe smiles that they might have an asset here who can tell friend from foe - if they can trust her of course. He considers her story.
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"I snuck in and stole mine from the Dormitory upstairs." She scoffs. "The Authorities don't care about a research center when they are already stretched thin as it is. I came back for my research. I was so close to completing it." She strokes her hands across the fungus and mushrooms. Aishe feels that she is trustworthy and seems to only care of her life's work.
Vanyan nods.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about down below? What should we expect?" He asks, but is also ready to move on.
"what does your research involve?"
Trusting his instincts, Aishe's ready to move on but others have questions of the woman. So he slouches at the door and waits patiently.
When the party is ready, he'll move down to the next lab, presumably, and ready himself for combat - just in case.
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"I haven't really been much further than my lab here." She goes back to spraying the fungus with a misting solution. "Now I can't have anymore interruptions. You guys can rest here if you want but I need to keep working." She is quite friendly and her enthusiasm for her work is obvious. She excitedly raves about the various fungi throughout the lab and answers Tessenarin's questions about her work in overwhelming detail.
"Thank you for the offer of sanctuary," Vanyan appreciates. "We may take you up on it, but we should let you get back to work."
Vanyan follows after Aishe to the next set of doors. In the air, he makes room for others to get into position. He casts Fire Seeds.
Vinas shakes his head and joins the others.
Metal doors. Wooden doors. Stone doors. None of it matters with a war hammer like *THIS*. But, out of all of them, it's kinda nice that these pleebs choose to decorate their lair with the easiest door to bash down.
He first checks the door to see if it opens normally, but if locked. Atium goes to town.
Aishe, looks like I might have access to some of that gunk between the brain and the skull soon. I'm thinking we are about to smash some green beans.
Moved Atium into position, will open the door when Tess joins us.
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Atium opens the door to find one of his greatest enemies, the dreaded library! Tall bookshelves fill the west wall of this library. The collected tomes range in age from pristine books to weathered volumes. An empty table sits in the center of the room and a door opens in the eastern wall.
This library holds most of the facility’s collected knowledge from the past decades, including meticulously filed notes and logs of past experiments.
Miraina did say her notes should be located within here, but it could take some time searching for them.
We were in one of these before! It was terrible! My hammer kept fumbling about, and the place just felt *wrong*. Just like this place. If you are going to spend time here, I'll stay in the hallway watching.
"Ayep." Aishe nods to Atium, relinquishing his usual guard duty. He'll peruse the library a bit, seeing what there is to see.
vs DC 35
He takes a heavy book off the shelf, lead lined, "This of use to anyone?" he offers it around for perusal.
"Let's keep looking for people before we stop and search for Miraina's notes. Dunno how long that will take, but even an hour means the opposition may slip away, or attack us unprepared."
Perception
"Oh, I liberry! Nice," Vanyan looks around, but not as keenly as others.
"The notes? We can come back later. Not sure I want to leave weird things below us, just in case."
"Tess, that book seems like it's up your alley. As for priorities, I agree with Vanyan."
Yes, Yes. let's leave and squash people that you guys call "Opposition". I call them "Two hits"- I hit them, they hit the floor.
Hey, let me see that book you think is heavy. It looks small and thin. I bet it has pictures.
Atum is very eager to both see the digest and the "mnemonic aids" (pictures) inside-- and to move along.
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Heading to the next room Atium finds an Incubation chamber. The smell of fresh earth fills this large room. Several low shelves with long planters line the walls, each planter containing rich, brown soil and tiny, sprouting plants. Beneath the shelves are several watering cans and sacks containing more dirt. A wooden door stands in the east wall.
The main purpose of this room is to allow new seeds to grow to a usable size. Although the dirt in the planters appears identical, each planter’s soil has a different origin and chemical composition; the sacks are marked with origin coordinates all over northwestern Xopatl. Many of the seeds here are experimental, specifically bred to allow for greater affinity with the Blue Gardens’ localized arcane network.
Two wardens leap up from their stools, this obviously the only break they have gotten from their dull jobs. "Who are you? Why aren't you wearing your masks?" The men look confused as their hands twitch towards their weapons.
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"Who are you? Why aren't you wearing your masks?"
Vanyan keeps quiet and lets the talkers talk while he holds his fire seeds and hopes not to use them.