Sylvia adjusts her glasses and takes a look at the various papers Lleylo points out.
Kramac starts out his search wary of smugglers, but quickly finds that there's no evidence of them having been here in the last few days. Which means the lantern might be magical, to still be burning after that time. That theory is quickly confirmed by those with more expertise in those matters. The lantern can even change color by turning the knob normally meant for adjusting the wick!
A search of the papers by Kramac and Sylvia reveals two items of interest: The first is a bundle of writs of inspection approving the cargo crates for export from the Nexian capital of Quantium. The other is a series of financial records, including notes of sizable sums paid to the same individual whose name appears on the writs — a clear indication of bribery.
Between the secret compartments in the furniture and these documents, you probably have enough information to satisfy Gorm Greathammer's curiosity over the smuggler's methods. However, there's still several parts of the ship you haven't seen yet.
--
Sylvia adjusts her glasses "I think this explains the economics behind the smuggling."
Sylvia will use detect magic to look over the downstairs rooms to see if there's anything magical they've missed at least.
Sylvia's spell register some magic in the front part of the ship. A quick investigation there shows that the cabin at the bow has also been somewhat cleared of algae and cleaned. Six simple beds, complete with fresh linens, are crammed into the space. A few small footlockers are shoved under some of the beds. One of the footlockers contains a pair of alabaster statuettes depicting a winged creature. They seem to be the source of magic that Sylvia registered and their shape seems to suggest a divine origin.
A cursory sweep of the rest of the ship doesn't yield anything else of note. The stairs down from the cargo hold leads into dark and murky water that doesn't seem inviting to explore. On the top deck, the two cabins (fore and aft) only hold rotten splinters of wood and the ocasional rusted pieces of metal that would once have been some ship's decoration.
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Kramac will grab the items and attempt to identify them once we are back on solid ground. No need to hang out here and risk getting jumped. My Kn Religion is +5.
I'd appreciate a summary - much easier than all of us digging back through the thread to refresh ourselves. I remember we need to find some poor guy who got turned to stone and restore him, and go investigate a haunted house.
Kramac recognizes the magic items. They're talismans meant for trained healers, to be affixed to their armor. When they administers first aid, the talisman (also called a Crying Angel) will protect the owner from accidentally making matters worse.
--
Syvlia smiles to herself pleased to have remembered to use detect magic to aid in their search.
After a moment Sylvia adjusts her glasses and turns to her companions "Well done all, let's make our leave before that creature decides we look too shinny. Perhaps check on the ritual at the College of Mysteries?"
The group decides to investigate the ritual that researcher Tavvar Hamavsi has been experimenting with.
Sylvia looks to her allies "If we have to search through the stacks at the College I'll know right where to go, but I admit I've never actually been there. Anybody else have an idea of where to start?"
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Not an arcane caster, but primal.
"Let's just go and see what is there. We can decide then what to do, just like what Eando Kline said. More mandate for the field", Lindevaile Tindome answers Sylvia.
At the college, she starts chatting with people, completely ignoring their status there. She talks with a janitor about problems mysterical research substances cause to floors, and next with a professor about latest research subjects.
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Kramac will attempt to find someone professioral looking at the college, and begin talking to them about various occult topics, hoping to be directed to someone with more expertise (hopefully our target).
Hello good sir! I'm here looking for information on rituals of ancient civilizations, and their potential applications to the modern day. Who might be a good person on campus to help me out?
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Don't know why they insist on taking me to such highfalutin places, the halfling thinks as they wander through Miskatonic University the College of Mysteries. I was told there'd be lots of exploring the wilderness. Having some experience with libraries, though, thanks to his Society induction training, he heads there in search of help. "Hullo there," he says brightly to the person behind the desk.
Sylvia and Prillett find that the College of Mysteries has a large and respectable library, but unfortunately large parts are restricted to admitted member of the prestigious school.
Lindavaile Tindome and Lleylo don't seem to make a good impression, but their persistence at least gets the job done. The janitor quickly points the troublesome Pathfinders to a professor that he says might be able to help them (a petty act of payback on the part of the janitor for some perceived lack of respect from the professor). The professor is running late for his class and has very little time for delay. The upside is that he'll quickly answer any questions the group has, as it seems the fastest way to get them out of his way. "Ms. Hamavsi? Yes, I know her. She's working on some shadow-stuff. Foolish business, if you ask me. And she's cutting corners as well! SLoppy work, I say! What you'd want with a careless researcher like that is beyond me. No, don't bother explaining! I'm late as it is... If you have business with her, visit the Blakros Museum after hours. She's rented the place to perform her rituals. Now, let me through!" And he storms off to his class.
Kramac takes a little longer to find the proper person to talk to. He eventually finds someone who direct him to Tavvar Hamavi. "If it's shadow-stuff you're intested in, you should talk to Tavvar. She's from Nidal, you know? I heard she's trying to bring some of that into her ritual. Not sure how I feel about that, tampering with stuff like that. She's usually at the Blakros Museum during the evenings, if you want to meet up with her."
--
Between e late start after yesterday's party, the exploration of the ship and finding their way around the College of Mysteries, it's already evening when the group arrives at the Blakros Museum. It's an imposing structure that houses all manner of curiosa, and has quite a bit of a reputation among Pathfinder stationed in Absalom after several unfortunate incidents. The front doors are closed, but there's still light on inside. Through the door an older man can be seen sweeping the floor.
Sylvia adjusts her glasses as she nervously asks her companions completely oblivious to their current goal of getting inside. "Is it true they still have a portal to the Dark Tapestry in the basement? I've read so much about it in the various chronicles."
The man with the broom notices the group at the entrance and approaches to open the door. "Hello," he greets you. "You don't have to shout, I'm not deaf." His voice is slightly loud, suggesting that he might, in fact, be a little deaf. "The museum is closed for today. We do rent out to private groups occasionally, but I don't think you are with her party."
The man will have to be persuaded to let you in, either with the proper arguments or by other methods.
Slyvia nervously adjusts her glasses and tries to speak up without shouting, mostly failing "MY APOLOGIES, WE SHOULD HAVE INTRODUCED OURSELVES. WE ARE PATHFINDERS AND FEAR THERE MAY BE A DANGEROUS RITUAL GOING ON."
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Yes! We have vital information that Tavaar needs for her research. Every moment she carries on without this information puts her, and all of us in grave danger.
Kramac pulls out a piece of paper and begins sketching.
See she is using a summoning circle like this... but that isn't a stable configuration. We learned you need to add these bits here or the plane of shadow might start leaking across the planar barrier
Kramac puffs up his chest, puts on his best scholarly voice and spouts off some random occult information he hopes will sound impressive enough to a layman to convince them to let him and his companions in.
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Lindevaile Tindome looks at Kramac's presentation, mostly failing to hide that she doesn't understand anything. Mostly she just nods and agrees "Yes, mm, quite".
When Karmac ends his presentation, she tries to sugar the request: "So, you see, we are just concerned about her. It might go wrong so easily, just please please let us meet her and offer our protection".
Sylvia's mention of the Pathfinders puts a smile on the man's face, although he takes some more distance because of her volume. At one point he tries to interrupt her, but he seemingly decides against it. Kramac's plan seems to be working: his sketching is met with blank stares and head-scratching. Lindevaile Tindome clinches the deal with her well-voice request. "Yes, well. If you put it like that. I'm just a caretaker for the exhibitions, but this sounds dangerous! And if you're Pathfinders... Well, you've helped out here earlier, didn't you?" He steps aside to let the group in. "She's on the third floor. Up the stairs over there, and then back to the south end for the circular stairs to the third." He watches the group enter and go up. "Good luck," he calls after them while continuing his sweeping of the floor.
--
The group of Pathfinders enter the deserted museum, which is peacefully quiet. However, upon ascending the stairs to the second floor they hear sounds coming from the left as they walk through the empty corridor. The long, narrow presentation space has seating for around thirty guests, all facing a low stage at the south end of the room. At first glance the room seems empty, but a moment later, it seems as though the shadows of an audience still fill the plush seats. A chill draft sweeps through the room, and a whispery voice echoes from the podium. "...and rather than engage in a responsible, controlled study of the codebook, Yargos Gill decided—imprudently—to simply execute the signals listed therein..." The voice trails off into a looming silence.
While stopping their progress through the museum to investigate, more fragments of speech can be heard. They seem to come from the shadow standing at the lectern near the front of the room. "...six flashes of red light to initiate an attack on the granary..."
Lindevaile Tindome pays close attention to the shadows of the speaker and the listeners in the room. They are hazy and indistinct, although she can sometimes recognize some features. Most seem to pay close attention to the speaker, with a few occasionally jotting down some notes. They do not acknowledge her or any of the other Pathfinders in any way.
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It sounds like the ritual has already gone wrong and the shadows are planning an attack! Kramac says we should waste no time defeating them. Kramac whispers to his companions.
Kramac will keep his eyes peeled, and votes for jumping the shadowy speaker at the lecturn, but will wait for the rest of the party to be on board to be so
Keeping her eyes open for further surprises. "We should probably make haste to the ritual if things are already strange down here..."
Lleylo tries to touch one of the shadowy figures, but finds that his hand glides right through. The shadowy figure doesn't even seem to notice and keeps on listening to the speaker. Prillett studies what little he can make of the hazy figures. All he can figure out, is that they're behaving in every possibly way as a real audience would have.
When Kramac jumps at the shadowy speaker, his result is the same as Lleylo's: His attacks slide through the shadowy figure as if he weren't really there.
With this information, it becomes sufficiently clear that the shadows cannot be interacted with in any way. It's like they're not really there at all, merely shadows of actual figures that are gone already.
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Lindevaile Tindome walks slowly among the shadowy figures, and runs her hand through them. "Is this what she wanted? Or does she cause all kinds of shadowy things to leak out? It is so strange", she wonders.
"We really have to find her. This is worrying", she says and continues forward trying to find someone real.
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Lindevaile Tindome walks slowly among the shadowy figures, and runs her hand through them. "Is this what she wanted? Or does she cause all kinds of shadowy things to leak out? It is so strange", she wonders.
"We really have to find her. This is worrying", she says and continues forward trying to find someone real.
Following Lindevaile Tindome, the group presses on. Halfway down the corridor, to the group's left, is an exhibit called the 'Hall of Incantation'. Carefully framed spellbook pages hang along this room’s walls, while eldritch relics stand in small display cases in the room’s center. In the far corner, shadows hang thicker than the rest of the room, and it seems a boisterous half-orc woman stands there, surrounded by a few vague figures as she welcomes newcomers. Her voice is thin and reedy, but eerily familiar. "There you are! I was wondering when I'd get some time to get to know you. ... If anyone wants a little 'extra', let me know."
Sylvia adjusts her glasses as she looks nervously to her companions.
"Let's make haste up to the 3rd floor..."
Further on, a gigantic reptilian beast is on display in the center of an expansive gallery, ferociously leering over the collection of taxidermy animals and monsters. Shadows flit between the displays, meandering and shuffling shapes reminiscent of museum patrons. Then a distant shriek echoes off the walls, as the shadow of a stuffed owlbear lashes out at one of the shadow-visitors with its talons. The shadow of the tyrannosaur in the room’s center departs from its source and snaps at the misty image of another patron, tossing its head back and seeming to swallow its meal nearly whole. Other shadows snarl and hiss, scuffling among themselves as shadow-guests panic and run toward the exit.
The group hears drone echoes voicing down the stairs and hurry along, harassed by the shadows of the creatures on display.
--
Kramac is first up the stairs. Droning voices echo off the mahogany walls and domed, plaster ceiling of the luxurious room. The sumptuous furniture has been pushed to the sides of the room, making space for eldritch markings and mystical paraphernalia laid carefully over the plush carpet. The chamber seems muted and dim despite the crystal chandelier overhead, and a bone-numbing chill seeps through the space along with a metallic scent. A ritual is obviously underway here, but it doesn’t seem as though it’s working as planned. Shadowy energy lashes out from a twisting breach in the center of the room, and indistinct shapes flit and scuttle along the walls.
Around the circle stand four people, all chanting and sweating. They look frightened, tired and hurt, but also determined. They hold up the chants and gestures to keep the ritual from unraveling further.
--
Prillett
Kramac
Sylvia
Lleylo
Ritual
Researchers (red, blue, green, purple)
Lindevaile Tindome
The stairs are difficult terrain.
The entire room is dimly lit, giving everyone concealment.
Sylvia hustles up the stairs to help clear space.
Sylvia then does her best to help control the ritual.
before paranoidly casting shield.
Kramac studies the ritual and identifies some of the flaws that wreak havoc on the stability of the ritual. There's some Shadowtongue glyphs included in the runes written on the floor, and they're amplifying the energy. He manages to correct one of the flaws, and the energy seems to lessen slightly. He also thinks that identifying other pieces of Shadowtongue could help in controlling the ritual.
His angry words draw a pained grimace from the white-haired woman opposite the stairs, who might be the leader of the ritual. She wants to say something, but is too strained by keeping the ritual from collapsing that to spare the words.
Sylvia spots another part of the ritual that isn't working properly, and patches it with some of her knowledge.
--
Prillett
Kramac
Sylvia (shield)
Lleylo
Ritual ()
Researchers (red, blue, green, purple)
Lindevaile Tindome
The stairs are difficult terrain.
The entire room is dimly lit, giving everyone concealment.