Kamari bites her tongue since no further encouragement seems needed.
With her left hand she opens the door as she holds her rapier ready to plunge it through the heart of any enemy on the other side.
"I really hope there are no skeletons down here. The walking kind that is."
Elen goes through the door as soon as it is opened, stopping just shy of the halfling's torchside.
She moves forward as the next door is opened.
Anselm opines, "You seem certain that you've force of arms to make a difference. I'll admit, fighting is far from my forte. Maybe it would be wise to wait in here until the night's troubles have passed..."
"The Princess, Anselm! Or have you forgotten?" Elen calls back. "Wait where you want, but here you'll be in the dark. You come up with us, you could wait outside the foyer or somewhere else to your liking. Or, did you have a better idea? Hurry, let us discuss it on the way up!"
Muri keeps moving, starting to feel a little claustrophobic for all the doors, but he hears something sympathetic in the fey man's words. They do have elderly to worry about, even down here. If black guards descended on them now, Madame Lotheed and Major Kort would hardly be able to defend themselves.
Then Kamari mentions skeletons. Muri keeps quiet, almost reverentially so, should they find themselves within catacombs through the next door...
K’Aldrian keeps quiet as he keeps wanting to move. He focuses on the tasks ahead, leaning on his cane.
As you pierce the next chamber, another missive from Martella Lotheed interrupts your thoughts. ”Gloriana Morilla’s allies in the Pathfinder Society are providing some protection, but we face an organized force. Fighting throughout the entire senate building.”
The door opens easily. Heavy wooden bookshelves line the walls of this opulent bedchamber. A posh chair sits in the northwestern corner alongside a small circular table atop which sits another wand and an ornate gold key. A massive bed and an adjoining table rest along the eastern side of the room. An open bathroom fits into the southwest, with a bathtub matching the room’s opulence. In the bathroom you find another hand mirror and a frayed brush.
As everywhere else, a thick layer of dust has settled on everything.
Perception - room
Perception - bathroom
With his cane clacking in step with his walk, K’Aldrian moves in to check out the bedroom and bathroom.
Starting to see a pattern, Muri moves to the next door, which should lead to another hallway, which should lead to another squarish room, which should lead to the Major's initial short hallway...
Muri opens the door, and continues on to the next set of doors.
"No stairs yet. That's not good, if we're trying to go up."
"No stairs yet. That's not good, if we're trying to go up."
”Maybe we are dead, and this is Pharasma’s domain and we walk around these empty halls until she is ready to judge us,” K’Aldrian comments, not believing a word of it, but not having a sense of the layout yet.
"No stairs yet. That's not good, if we're trying to go up."
Quickly following behind Muri, Kamari changes her thinking based on Muri's observation and begins looking for concealed or secret doors as she waits for the others to catch up.
"We're trying to get to you my lady, but it feels as if we're going in circles."
"Have you orders for us, milady? My companions seem to think we must rescue the Princess. Or rush to your side."
Anselm walks to the front of the procession, putting a hand up.
"If Lady Lotheed wished us to come to her aid, I believe she would say so. So far she has simply said, defend ourselves. The princess will need long term allies if this becomes a civil war. So, please, what is our current aim?"
"So, please, what is our current aim?"
"I know mine, Master Anselm as I have already stated it: I need to scout where we are in relation to the Princess and the Lady," K'Aldrian replies, knowing that knowing is half the battle. (The other half of the battle is hoping one's cane does not get kicked from under you.)
"But that is my goal. As a civilian now, I will neither give nor receive orders to you or others. I think the rest mostly share that goal, but I will not speak for them."
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"If Lady Lotheed wished us to come to her aid, I believe she would say so. So far she has simply said, defend ourselves. The princess will need long term allies if this becomes a civil war. So, please, what is our current aim?"
Normally Kamari would enjoy the philosophical discussion proposed, but for now worry and impatience rule her heart. She stares hard at the one who would stand in her way.
"Twice we have said we are on our way, and she has not said to remain where we are or flee. She need not ask for what has already been promised. Our aim, or at least my aim, is to fulfill that promise."
"The princess will need no allies if she is dead because we were not there. We might be only a feather on the scale of power right now, but it might be the one that tips it in her favor or at least keeps it balanced."
She nods to the Major. "I do not intend on plunging into the fight like a whore into a bachelor party, but I will get there and strike where I might do so most effectively. The heart is the obvious choice for the rapier, but a rib can thwart the attempts of those without finesse. The liver or the kidneys are good second choices without any bones to protect them."
Kamari glances at the halfling.
Why is it taking Muri so long to open that door?
We're trying to find our way out of this safe-house to you all! Elen responds to Martella.
"Anselm -- we're already 'safe' comparatively speaking. This feels like a coup arranged by a very deranged and/or possessed Grand Prince! Do you not want to find out what's going on and help?! Taldor is in immediate peril!" Elen exclaims, not caring if it sounds like too much drama if it motivates any of her current companions into aiding.
"In any event, I do not intend to stay trapped in this dank and infinitely dusty place!"
"In any event, I do not intend to stay trapped in this dank and infinitely dusty place!"
”Yes, as bolt holes go, this is not terrible, but the dust *is* rather bad for our lungs, as will a defeat for the Princess be, if I am not mistaken. I think We must head towards Lady Lotheed, and be what use we may. Though it was kind of whoever had the forethought to leave a wand for food and a spoon to eat it with. Mayhap we can use them for tea afterward.”
Having added what little levity she has to offer, she sets her face to their current task and prepares for the next door. ” Let us continue.”
Major Kort and Kamari search the room as best they can in a short time, though they don’t touch the books much. To thoroughly search this room, with its library, you’ll need about 2-4 hours - or everyone can pitch in and it’ll take 20-40 minutes. However, with the cursory search they do make they find an old half rotted scroll tube in the bathroom (one search check is sufficient for both chambers), tucked behind the tub. There’s something in the tube as well - though none of it glows magically.
Muri opens the next door, which leads to a short hall and another set of doors (as anticipated) which he also opens to reveal a storeroom. Stacked wooden crates cover the southern wall, and more crates occupy the northwestern corner. Wooden shelves fill much of the eastern half of the room, each tier filled with dust-coated bottles, crockery, and glass jars.
A routine check of the chamber reveals changes of clothes, condiments, pickled vegetables, preserved delicacies, salted meats, and a well-stocked toolkit. The room is a storage area, meant to store excess equipment that the might be used while spending prolonged periods in these quarters. While almost all the foodstuff here has long since rotted (there’s a jar of honey that looks OK), the toolkit is well stocked and in excellent shape, counting as a masterwork tool for Craft checks related to carpentry, metalworking, or stonework (155gp, 15#).
Just to be complete, the door leading out of this chamber does indeed lead to Major Kort’s initial short hall. You’ve come full circle, as you get another update from Martella Lotheed.
”Find a way out and keep your heads down. Not all military are with Stavian. Lion Blades and Eutropia’s allies fighting back in senate.”
- - -
Elen gasps as the group enters the pantry/storage room.
"Why was the food left to rot?! Was this place hastily abandoned?! If so, why?"
”And this other wand will be much in use if we can find our way out. “
Mama is disappointed that neither the scroll case, nor its contents seem magical, she is very interested in what it might be. ”Maybe it holds a clue to how to get out of here.”
Faced with the reality of their pseudo-prison, Kamari starts the search for the secret door that must--hopefully--exist.
If magic is required to escape this place, we might be doomed.
"Feel free to assist. It's not hard. Just look for that piece of wood smoother than other parts due to being handled more frequently. Or look for scrape marks on the ground from an opening door. It might even just be under one of the storage boxes." Kamari grunts as she tries to move one of the larger boxes.
Anselm takes a deep breath and nods. "Very well. I will do my best to be of help. I fear Shelyn will hear little more from me today, but perhaps her menagerie may answer my call."
He joins the search for a hidden passage.
Muri nods with look of resignation/irritation as the building's construction comes together as one single ring. "So, maybe our Senate Badges sent us here, while other Senate Badges sent their people somewhere similar. I still don't understand why there's no exit." The halfling finishes lighting a second torch for Kamari to use separately.
Muri makes another full circuit, while the others begin their search for secret passages.
With his brief survey complete, he returns to the general discussion. "So we have a locked cabinet, and a gold key. Don't suppose it's that easy..." Muri brings key and cabinet together, half-expecting them to partner.
"If the Badges brought us here, what if they bring us back, when the danger has passed? Do we just need to wait? Maybe that's why there's storage, and beds."
"Thank you." Kamari accepts the torch from Muri and continues her search for an exit.
"If a couple of you want to tinker with the magic for now, I'll shout when I find something."
I will find something. I'm not going to miss my shot at helping the Princess.
”Well, I was joking about wandering here for all eternity,” K’Aldrian explains. ”But there probably is a way out, we just have to find it. I mean, if this is a safe house, it makes sense that it would be hidden.”
He goes back to examine the cabinet, wondering if Muri’s key idea will work.
If not, he will see if the cabinet can be pulled away from the wall.
- - -
Mama D investigates the scroll tube. It largely falls apart in her hands, revealing a slightly rusted smallish key.
Kamari, Anselm, and Muri search the four rooms thoroughly - or at least as thoroughly as they can with a quick search (remember the library will take hours to search in total). While they don’t find a secret door, they do find a curious slot in the wall of the master bedroom. It’s about the same size and shape as a coin slot. But what goes into it is uncertain, as is what it does.
Oh, you also haven't moved all the boxes and crates and barrels in the storage area. That'll take about a half hour and I don't want to presume on your time.
Major Kort meanwhile tries the gold key in the cabinet, but finds the key much too large for the small keyhole. It must be for something else. He doesn’t think it will come apart from the wall easily. Probably, even with the magic, easier to smash it in from the front if it comes to that.
As you search, I almost forgot Martella's next missive.
”Out of the senate building now but they are still pursuing. There’s fighting in the nearby streets. City guard is in chaos.”
”Well, if we have time, I might as well see if this cabinet hides the exit, wouldn’t you say, Muri?” K’Aldrian breaks out his tools again, taking as much time as he needs.
Disable Device
Disable Device + = 33!!
”If that doesn’t work, we’ll have to use muscle. I’ve given it my best attempts.”
After failing to find an exit on the first round of searching, Kamari slumps at the bar and eyes the still sealed bottles of whiskey.
*sigh
She starts to work through the problem out loud.
"You build a set of rooms for safety in case of imminent death. You spend an exorbitant amount of money setting it up for a long stay, but you must eventually want to leave. If you possess the magic to escape when you want then an exit isn't really necessary."
Kamari shudders at that thought.
"However, if you did this much planning, there must at least be some way to escape. But why hide it?"
She fiddles with her senate badge and again eyes the whiskey.
"Foolish too rich people with too much time on their hands. I guess they just wanted to be extravagant."
"Or simple." Kamari examines the senate badge to see if it might come apart or have something coin sized to fit into the slot.
Assuming the senate badge is a dead end, she heads for the bedroom/library to begin a detailed search for something that might fit in the coin slot or a key for the cabinet.
No obvious exits for us, my Lady. We're searching for a way out.
"Well, if we have time, I might as well see if this cabinet hides the exit, wouldn’t you say, Muri?”
Muri raises an eyebrow, then shakes his head. "Too small. I can't picture a plump Senator trying to fit through that. And I don't see any ladders. If you want to find out what's inside, just say so."
The halfling returns to the Six-Bed room, giving it a look over. He notices the foot lockers, so inspects them for items left behind. And possibly keys.
Underfoot actually wanders away from Muri, smelling old smells throughout the Storage Room.
Major Kort sticks his tongue firmly in his head as he pours all he has into he lock. He tweaks it this way, then that, then the other before, at long last, it pops open!
Inside the locked cabinet is something that resembles an immovable crystal ball built into the wall. The device is initially inoperable, requiring a missing part - a rectangular piece of curved crystal maybe, matching a hole in the top of the device. Find the missing piece, make the crystal ball whole, and who knows what might happen?
Kamari tries the senatorial badge, but it’s far too large to fit into the slot. You’re looking for something like a coin, fairly small overall. Could be anywhere… She begins to search the books. hours to go though others may assist, shortening the time. Also, everyone who is searching the bookcase, please make a perception roll as luck and skill count for something.
Within the footlockers Muri finds a wide variety of simple yet durable clothes. Some of it is even still useable, though most of it has rotten to one degree or other, and what has survived really needs to be aired out before you wear it. You also find a serviceable grooming kit and simple hand mirror.
Anselm helps with the search after tucking the wand in his belt.
“Does this key look like it might fit anywhere, do you think?” Mama D holds the small key aloft and offers it to those searching the room.
K'Aldrian shrugs when the cabinet opens but there is not a portal to someplace else on the other side, but a nonfunctional device.
"Well, I we scouted and learned. That is the way of things," K'Aldrian notes and then moves to try to find another exit.
He hasn't given up, but does navigate towards learning and books, and so gravitates toward the library in hopes of finding some clues there...also any books of interest.
Perception
K'Aldrian will put aside any books on magical theory, arcane drama, or plantax spelunking that he finds for later. It's possible that they are trapped down here for longer than he thought.
Kamari searches through the library.
”Too big.” She tosses a book on the bed.
”Too small.” She tosses a half a quill on the bed.
”Wrong shape.” She tosses a, um, she doesn’t know what it is on the bed.
"The Voritas Family line ended around a hundred years ago now... maybe they built this? Don't suppose anyone remembers anything else about them..."
Elen looks around for the globe's missing piece.
"The Voritas Family line ended around a hundred years ago now... maybe they built this? Don't suppose anyone remembers anything else about them..."
Kamari looks up from her searching for a minute.
"I recall reading something about them once. Give me a second. It's coming back to me."
Muri sets the Grooming Kit and the Hand Mirror on top of the clothes within the foot locker, before closing the lid. He mentally notes their presence, before joining Underfoot in the Storage Room.
As the sheepdog noses about the barrels and crates, Muri cocks his head, watching the animal figure out what interests her most. He stays out of her way, mostly, but starts to move things out of her way, should it appear something of an obstacle to her padding about. He surprises briefly when Underfoot leaps up and over a small crate to get to something on the other side, stopping to lean over, and give a decent look to her quarry crate.
Mama D holds up the small rusted key, and with his intimate knowledge of the lock he just picked, Major Kort is sure the key fits that lock. Testing it out, you find it does in fact fit the lock and unlocks or locks the cabinet with ease.
Elen is likely more certain that the Voritas family built this place as the search goes on. For one thing, a plaque with their family seal is built into the bar area, and for another their sigil appears in a few areas of the master bedroom as well. As to their history, Kamari is able to fill in a few blanks, but not much is known of the family, now long deceased as a clan.
She knows that Senator Voritas had no children of his own, though he adopted a few to fill his home and dote upon. None inherited his titles however, or his Senatorial duties, so upon his death the children more or less liquified the estate and went their separate ways, each rich in their own ways but the Voritas name faded. That was about a hundred years or so ago as Elen thought. The badges were likely sold and the Princess purchased them for her own agents, and they have now come into your hands, at least temporarily.
With the bulk of the party searching the library, you are able to check it out in less than a half hour - about the time it takes Muri to search the storeroom.
As you begin, another missive from Martella trickles in as she fights her way out of the Senate. ”Stavian’s forces are retreating, military and guard are divided. Maxillar Pythareus was seen moving with impunity through Stavian’s assassins.”
You may each reply as usual (everyone mentally ‘hears’ it, and only 25 words) before her next message comes just a few minutes later into your search.
”Separated from the Princess. Guiding a dozen or so of the servants to a safe haven. You can find me at the Dignified Repository… No!” There was a pause before the ‘No!’, which seemed more an utterance of surprise than a part of the planned sending. You may reply to this sending as well, separate from above.
You know from what Lady Lotheed said initially that the senate badge only works 10 times a day, and that was the tenth. It is about 9:15pm when you receive this message, and 9:30pm when you’re all done searching.
Anselm, remembers the portraits hanging in the bar area as he stumbles across a book, apparently written by Senator Voritas (according to the spine) and on the subject of the Fourth Army of Exploration. Cracking the binding to see what it may contain (if anything - most of the books crumble uselessly when you grab them from the shelves) he finds the book is hollow! Victoriously, he takes out a slightly curved piece of crystal that looks like it might fit the crystal ball nicely.
As the bulk of the party celebrates the find, Muri, and Underfoot especially, topple a barrel full of jerked and dried beef. Underfoot snags one of the ancient and extremely hard strips and starts immediately chewing. As Muri reaches out, he sees a beautiful fresco painted on the southern wall, depicting Galitian Maramaxus, hero of the Fourth Army of Exploration, battling the dwarves of the Five Kings Mountains. A brass plate identifies the fresco as “Noble Galitian Maramaxus, hero of the Fourth Army of Exploration, champion of Taldor.”
It catches his attention a moment, giving Underfoot time to get a head start on the unknown flesh.
Anselm does not respond to the first message, but does the second. "MILADY! I pray you are safe. If the Repository falls, Candy Polari at Westport's Dog and Whistle Tavern can find me."
He has made several good friends along the docks of late. His father would not approve, but that has just spurred him on. It's long past time for Taldor's diplomats to find love and laughter outside courtly halls.
Shaken, he quickly takes the shard to the glass orb, inserting it.
K'Aldrian moves over the piece of crystal ball that Anselm uncovered, his fingers wiggling eagerly on his cane.
"If I could get the crystal ball to work, we might be able to find the Princess and relay her location to the Lady," he ponders, wondering if Mama D might be able to help.
If Anselm will relinquish the piece...
"Mama D, would you help me explore this? It's all very new to me and mostly theory. I'm guess here..." K'Aldrian invites Mama to the cabinet.
"Let's put this piece in and see what happens, yes?"
Know (arcana)
Spellcraft
Mama D moves to see if she can help with the crystal.
”I may do no better than you, my friend, but let me see if I can help.”
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"Hey. Hey!! Down!! Drop it.. Drop it..!"
<Low growling>
"Underrrrrfoot..."
<Continued low growling, slightly louder>
"Do you know how old that is?! Drop it!! Now!!"
<Sudden loud, high growling, then a quick bark>
Muri returns to the bar room, quietly sucking the meat of his thumb. Underfoot follows close behind, though her tail is tucked under.
"Found another fresco back in the storage room. The name on the plate is 'Galitian Maramaxus'."
The halfling raises his brows as he watches the crystal ball becomes whole, the concerted work of the Major and Anselm.
With the missing piece to the crystal ball having being found, Kamari speeds up her search having to only look for a coin sized item.
Kamari refrains from responding to Lady Lotheed's first message so as not to distract her or overload her with information.
When the second message ends distressingly, Kamari counts the rounds of conversation fired off and realizes there's no point in responding. They've received their orders and will meet the Lady at the Dignified Repository, hopefully.
The party gathers together in the bar and places the crystal piece into the rest of the orb where it joins very nearly seamlessly. Magics flare around the globe as it activates. Everyone leans in to see what there is to see, and you see…
blackness.
No, wait! There’s something! No, it’s gone. Wait, there it is. Yes, there is something. It seems there’s some sort of flickering within the dark crystal, but you can’t really make it out. It’s as if you’re scrying into a darkened room with a light source some distance away.
K'Aldrian steps back from the ball, gathering his thoughts to try something different or better. He moves back in and tries to engage the crystal ball and bend it to his arcane will.
"Show me the Princess," Kort says, clearly picturing the Princess as best he can in his mind.
Know (arcana)
He'll then step back to give others a chance to work things.
*blink blink
Intrigued, but not exactly sure what to do, Kamari follows the Major's lead and leans in close to the crystal ball.
"Show me the way out of here."
She then steps back to make room for others.
Muri rubs his hand a little longer under his chin, but eventually drops his hand behind his back to retrieve his bladed crook. He keeps the torch held up for all to benefit, but keeps to the back of the room, expecting the crystal ball to be a temporary dead end. He wonders how many more keys are lying about in odd corners.
Major Kort concentrates on the magics he knows to be there and tries to focus the crystal ball. The image refuses to stir however, remaining on whatever dark spot it seems fixed upon.
Kamari demands the crystal show her what she wants as well, but the crystal remains firm. Or seems to… As she steps back to make room for others, the crystal seemed to flicker briefly, but perhaps it was just a trick of the light.
Kort takes a few moments to ponder the situation, plotting avenues of attack. Finally, he shrugs. "Let me try one more thing...if you don't mind," K'Aldrian addreses the ball when others have made room.
"Show me the Princess..." he intones again.
UMD
* * *
K'Aldrian will retire to the library to think about other approaches to the crystal, while perusing books and adding 'scrying dynamics' to lists of book topics he'll put aside for later reading.
Perception