When the good Major commands the crystal it does nothing but sit there blankly staring back at him, the slightest of flickers deep within its core.
He moves to the library, but cannot see to read as he has no light source.
Anselm takes a different tack. Putting his hands on the globe, he says, "Galitian Maramaxus."
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Elen approaches the crystal ball curiously. "Who's there? O.K., crystal ball -- show us what you will."
Elen clears her mind and gazes into the glass.
Anselm touches the cool smooth crystal and speaks the name, but nothing happens.
Elen peers peacefully into the glass, and it does indeed show you something, that ever-so-dim flickering deep within the globe.
Anselm shrugs and continues to search for hidden things. Most specifically: a coin-sized item and any signs of air drafting into the enclosed space. He searches good and hard all over the damned place.
Kamari waits to see if Mama D takes a turn with the globe. When she is done or indicates she will pass, Kamari steps back up and repeats, mantra like, for about a minute or as long as she gets a reaction from the globe.
” Show me the way out of here. Show me the way out of here...”
If nothing happens, then she will try whispering the phrase, saying it more firmly, and really focusing on the crystal ball as she says it. She will also run through her known languages.
Muri nudges his way forward, trying to get a look on the crystal ball that has everyone's attention. He holds the torch up to the crystal, then pulls it away. If he sees the same thing everyone else has seen, then he encourages Elen to keep looking at the crystal, while he himself walks through all four rooms, wondering if something else is watching them, from a different angle.
Anselm starts to take the room apart, searching every nook and cranny. He finds nothing particularly coin shaped, but there is some ventilation. He’ll find a small vent near the ceiling behind the bar providing some measure of fresh air.
Kamari steps back up to the crystal ball, and the flickering seems to die a little within it. She repeats her mantra and the globe clearly yearns to comply, but it’s darker than ever…
Muri however makes it obvious, in his own way. As everyone is looking at the crystal ball, Muri moves through the rooms. As he gets closer to the storage room, the light in the crystal grows. As he moves into that chamber, and his light hits the fresco, those in the bar clearly see the fresco on the southern wall through the crystal ball.
However, some of the portions of the painting are glowing. Highlighted. There are two groups of two highlighted areas.
K'Aldrian, being a sensible yahoo, casts Light when it is needed to read in the library (perception check above).
He'll continue doing that until there is something that might require his services.
”We can see the painting in the crystal ball. Parts of it are glowing.”
”Read back what the brass plate has on it.”
Assuming Muri assists, Kamari will say, “Noble Galitian Maramaxus, hero of the Fourth Army of Exploration, champion of Taldor ,” and hope for a reaction.
Mama takes her turn at the globe, but it is Kamari and Muri that bring something to light.
”Wait! What was that? What did you say just before that, Kamari? A way out, yes. Show us the way out.”
Mama shifts back and forth on her feet, torn between watching in the globe, and following Muri into the store room to see if the two spaces are lit in reality or if only in the globe in front of them.
”Muri, what do you see?”
Muri is happy to assist, when he hears what sounds like excited yelling.
Standing in front of the Fresco, Muri gives it a good looking over. When Kamari and Madame Lotheed suggest that parts of the painting are glowing, he looks for glowing. Should he find no trace of the glow, Muri calls out.
"Did you get that, Kamari? Madame Lotheed? If you can see me, and the Fresco, then I'll start moving my hand about, and you tell me when to stop, ok? Let's figure out the glow marks, then we can figure out why we need to know about them."
Major Kort ignores the others and settles down to find a good book. Unfortunately there aren’t many to chose from. Apparently whatever ventilation this place has, it lets in the moisture, and after a hundred years, the books are fairly well rotted. Still, he finds one or two historical references to the Fourth Army of Exploration still in good shape (among a rather large collection), and a small book of gnome poetry though the former owner used to try and rewrite some of the passages - their own creative outlet apparently.
Meanwhile, Kamari tries to modify the crystal ball further, though her words and actions seem to have no effect. She and Mama D work with Muri to see what can be learned. A few things are. Apparently the crystal ball’s scrying sensor, it’s perspective if you will, is just a few feet from the slightly peeling fresco. The perspective is fixed and unwavering. Muri moves his hand, and likely torch, around and in front of the painting and you can see them clearly through the scrying device - but always with an overlay highlighting a few of the areas of the painting.
So you are looking closely at the fresco, with some areas clearly pointed out on the painting. The overlay however is not visible to Muri - it can only be seen through the crystal ball.
Kamari heads for the storage to see for herself the areas that have been glowing.
She pokes and prods at the areas of the fresco.
”Would someone skilled in magic please take a look at the fresco?”
Kort moves over to where the excitement is, marking a few books to take with him if and when the party finds a way to escape.
"Hmm...it's possible that the ball is broken. And it's possible the ball is working exactly as intended and we don't know what it's supposed to do yet. It's hard for us to know," K'Aldrian notes the underlying issues. "And we're not even sure it is a way of escape."
K'Aldrian thinks more upon it, watching the interactions of others and try to divine the solution.
”Would someone skilled in magic please take a look at the fresco?”
K'Aldrian casts Detect Magic and examines the fresco.
Arcana/Spellcraft
Kamari goes to the fresco to see for herself. She pokes the areas of the fresco highlighted by the crystal ball and a slot opens in the wall. Shortly thereafter, a golden coin drops out onto the floor and the slot disappears again.
The coin jingles as it hits the floor and rolls behind a crate.
Major Kort sees the magic flicker as the slot appears, and disappears. He suspects something like a Phase Door...
Kamari scrambles after the coin and picks it up. She’ll show it to the Major before heading for the coin slot.
Before leaving she’ll tap the fresco again to see if any other coins or items appear.
As Kamari taps the fresco again, another coin appears, and rolls around the floor a bit before (presumably) being picked up as well. The two coins are identical and feature the symbol of Taldor on one side and the profile of Galitian Maramaxus on the other.
Both coins are slightly magical according to Major Kort.
"Both coins are slightly magical," accords K'Aldrian to Kamari. "Didn't we find a place where those might fit? Near the bedroom perhaps?"
K'Aldrian goes to look.
Kamari resists tapping the wall repeatedly, pockets one coin, and heads to the room with the other.
She’ll wait until all are gathered before inserting the coin into the slot with her left hand while her rapier is held at the ready in her right hand.
Anselm makes his way to Kamari's side. "Let's hope drunken, bullying aristocrats are the worst we face."
Muri watches Kamari leave with one of the two coins, frowning. "You didn't think..?" He doesn't bother speaking loudly enough to call her back. She's obviously intent on learning something of the coin, and the slot.
The halfling presses the exact same spot that seems to be yielding coins, and presses it enough for Anselm, for Madame Lotheed, for himself, and for Underfoot.
Then Muri follows everyone back to the flame which attracts Kamari the moth. While she inserts her coin, Muri gives a coin to those who don't have coins, should he have been lucky enough to obtained coins back where coins have been dispensed twice before.
Muri presses the wall which dutifully drops out enough coins for everyone.
At around 9:30pm, just 45 minutes from the bloodshed in the Senate, Kamari pockets one coin while slotting the other into the wall in the bedroom. For simplicity sake, I’ll say you’re all in the bedroom watching and ready when that happens, and thanks to Muri, you each have a coin.
Everyone in the room is dimensionally transported (the more magically minded among you think it was another Dimension Door) into a small room (not on the map apparently) from which descends a short flight of stairs to a landing. As there is no where else to go, and no way back, you follow the stairs to the landing which reveals a much longer set of stairs going up. Well, there was a door on the landing, but it was walled over some time in the past - probably a few hundred years ago. So you thoughtfully ignore it.
Climbing the stairs, you return to the map (yay!) and reach another landing and a suspiciously blank wall. Sitting on the landing is a single hooded lantern flickering with a blue light and cool to the touch (Continual Flame). The stairs and lantern are covered in a heavy layer of dust and cobwebs. The air here, unlike that of the safe rooms, is very stale and smells quite musty.
Oh, and only Kamari’s first coin was used so you each still have one, even Underfoot.
Muri brightens with the blue light ahead, hating to be thrown into darkness again, despite the torch currently burning in his hand. He looks around for a safe place to rest his torch, and reassembles his Shepherd's Crook, which is meant purposefully for the bearing of a lantern in the twilight and evening of the day.
He looks at the suspiciously blank wall, expecting all eyes to take it in for an exit.
"So we didn't need our own coins. Huh."
”No, it’s nice to have. A little piece of history,” Kort flips his coin before putting it in his coat pocket. ”Let’s see if we can find a way out.”
K’Aldrian looks for a way out or forward.
Perception
Muri examines the wall, knowing what it must contain, but it’s the Major’s sharp eyes that spot the latch that opens the door to the next chamber, for there is indeed a cleverly (but not cleverly enough) hidden door before you.
If Kamari sees the latch, she will move toward it. Otherwise she will stare at the wall until the Major shares. Once that staring contest is over, she will take inspect the latch itself for any trap.
Once everyone is ready, she will open the door.
Anselm taps Muri on the shoulder. "I couldn't help notice that your staff also holds a blade. Perhaps I could carry the lantern, so you're free to make use of it."
He nods to Kamari, signaling readiness.
Muri looks up at the fey man, then back to the lantern. "Oh, sure. I figured there wouldn't be a need for the blade, at least until we headed up. Here you go." The halfling hands the blue light lantern over to Anselm, then proceeds to switch heads on his Crook.
”Let’s go find some place to stick that blade then,” K’Aldrian comments. ”We may not be too late to influence events. But also, we should be careful as it might be tough to know which people we may meet are partisans or not.”
K’Aldrian does not offer to take the lead here, but allows those with more youthful vigor to press on.
Anselm gratefully takes the lantern, glad to be of some use in the journey to come.
"I doubt that I'll be of great use in battle. Perhaps we should focus on defending ourselves while we make our way to the rendezvous point."
He waits for his more martially proficient colleagues to take the lead.
Kamari, on finding no traps, opens the sliding secret door to reveal a well lit chamber.
Chiseled stone statues of Taldan Phalanx soldiers stand atop plinths in the outer corners, visible from any point in this ominous hall. They each carry a torch, lit by Continual Light and providing plenty of light to the room. Sturdy wooden doors line the outer edge of the hall: two to the east, two to the south, two to the west, and a pair of doors lead to an inner chamber in the center of this circular room. To the north, though you can’t quite see it yet, you’ll find the back of a secret door with a large lock awaiting a key, or a more nefarious method of opening.
Suspiciously, there is a nobleman’s body on the floor to the west before one of the doors. It’s hard to say who it was from here, and you don’t immediately recognize the clothing. He looks very much like he was clawed to death, with long jagged wounds in his back. The blood pooled around his body is quite fresh, and for no particular reason, we’ll start with initiative.
Round 1
Anselm gets paler than normal. It isn't that he's a stranger to corpses. One doesn't spend years in the Seelie Court without witnessing some frightful things. It's just that he'll never get used to this.
His eyes widen as he becomes alert for assailants. A prayer to Shelyn rests on his lips, ready to call upon her menagerie for help.
HP 16 / 2 NL
AC 14
1st level spells 1/3
Summon monster 5/7
CLW wand 22/50
Round 1, Init 22
AC = 15/13/13
HP = 18/18 (-4hp NL)
Weapon Equipped = Shepherd's Crook
Condition(s) = None
AC = 17/15/13
HP = 26/26
Weapon Equipped = Well maintained teeth
Condition(s) = None
Wary of the recently deceased, Muri moves into the room, keeping close to the wall along his left side, and keeping his Crook pointed forward, half-expecting the door along his way to open up and something accost him.
When he gets to the corner, he keeps his eyes on the body. Underfoot's nostrils flare, aware.
Anselm peers into what he can see of the room from the safety of the stairwell even as he readies an action to defend the party. Muri and Underfoot also play it safe, sliding along the wall to the corner. Nothing, as yet, jumps out at them and as they get closer, the smell of blood is strong.
Nothing seems to stir within, though you think you can hear the faint sound of fearful sobbing nearby - perhaps behind one of the doors, though you can’t quite pinpoint it. It sounds familiar somehow…
Round 1, Init 4
"Stay behind me if you wish, Lady Mama D," K'Aldrian says as he moves up, but it's unclear how good he would be as a protector given his cane and old knees. "I'll scout and suggest might type of tactics might be prudent." He double moves up.
I wish I had my shortbow, but didn't think it would be necessary tonight. Foolish me. K'Aldrian pines for the bow he left behind in his room.
He leans on his cane as he peeks around the corner at the body.
Perception
hp: 16/16
AC: 15/13/12
Saves: F1/R5/W6 +2 vs. enchantment
Lowlight. PBS.+2 v. poison.
Aroden's Verve: 0/4 used
GlitterBomb: 0/0 used
Extend GammaRadiation: 0/0 used
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Staff of Courage: 0/0
0: (create water, detect magic, light, stabilize,read magic)
1: 0/5 used
to hit; damage.
to hit; (+PBS)
damage;
Round 2, Init 22
AC = 15/13/13
HP = 18/18 (-4hp NL)
Weapon Equipped = Shepherd's Crook
Condition(s) = None
AC = 17/15/13
HP = 26/26
Weapon Equipped = Well maintained teeth
Condition(s) = None
Muri doubles back, and checks the left southern door. He does knock first. "Hello? Anyone there? There are six of us, and we are searching through all the rooms down here. Are you safe? We are lucky ones, hopefully you are too? Hello?"
If the door is unlocked, Muri will open it to examine what lies beyond it.
Round 1
Rapier still in hand, Kamari follows the Major and Muri to the left and cautiously approaches the fresh corpse.
She listens and tries to pinpoint the whimpering.
Round 1, Init 4
"Stay behind me if you wish, Lady Mama D," K'Aldrian says as he moves up, but it's unclear how good he would be as a protector given his cane and old knees..
Round 1,4-
“ I think I shall, yes Major” Her knees are no younger and her experience with tactics in such a situation is surely less- but she would be hard pressed to protect you if you were too far away.
Round 2
Anselm moves into the room, taking a look at the corpse in the hall as he approaches it.
Kamari approaches the dead nobleman even as she listens for the sobbing, which she is sure is coming from the SSE door. Elen DMPC, weapon at the ready, enters the hall covering the others. Major Kort, from blood evidence, is able to determine that the dead man came from the north based on his bleeding, but there are no other modern blood trails (though the floor isn’t exactly clean). Mama D hangs back, letting the others see what there is to see. Anselm moves up toward the corpse and tries to identify it from several feet away but without success. Perhaps if he could see the mans face. Muri calls out as he opens the SSW door. It is unlocked and leads to a small room with a handful of chairs - looks like a safe room. A comfortable room, no windows, and clearly meant for just a short stay. This one is empty, but he hears calling from the WNW room, muffled but clear, ”Watch out for the wall critters! Get to a room and you’ll be safe!”.
Alas, the warning comes too late, as the torso of a humanoid figure with jagged claws extends outward from the interior wall, its features patterned with the texture of the structure around it. It screeches loudly causing some consternation behind a few of the doors (WNW and SSE) as it reaches out from the wall to attack!
It reaches for Kamari!
- - -
In case it isn’t clear, the unwholesome creature is part of the wall though it exists partly outside it as well in the square noted on the map.
Kort takes a look at the creature, hoping to scout and identify a weakness.
Know (Religion)
And he has no idea.
Round 3
Chilled to the bone, Anselm summons up his friend the eagle. He steps back, drawing out the healing wand.
As it appears, Shelyn's golden flyer lashes out with smiting force.
HP 16 / 2 NL
AC 14
1st level spells 1/3
Summon monster 4/7
CLW wand 22/50
HP: 12/16
AC: 13 (no armor or shield)
Fort +0; Ref +6; Will +4
Initiative +4 (Dex +2, Elven Reflexes +2)
Speed 30
BAB +1
CMB +1
13 CMD (11 Flatfooted)
Rapier +4, 1d6, 17-20x2 (anatomist)(Quick draw, Weapon Finesse, & Weapon Focus for rapier only)
Panache points = 3
Should've spent more time looking through those crates for any armor.
The claw just catches Kamari and she winces, but doesn't say a word.
She moves to flank it with Anselm's eagle.
Unsure what she faces, Kamari stabs for where a human's heart would be, but finds only air.
HP: 12/13 (-1nl)
AC: 11/11/10 (+1 dex)
Fort +1; Ref +1; Will +6
Initiative +1
Speed 30
BAB +1
CMB +1
12 CMD
Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (nature) +7, Knowledge (planes) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7,
Mama D, not having meant to be quite so far behind, rushes up to see what the others are up against.
Goodness! And there’s Kamari, in the thick of it, with not a stitch of armor on! If only I can get close enough, though...
”Major, let me pass for moment. “
Round 2, Init 4
Kort is happy to let Mama pass as he takes total defense for the turn.
hp: 16/16
AC: 15/13/12
Saves: F1/R5/W6 +2 vs. enchantment
Lowlight. PBS.+2 v. poison.
Aroden's Verve: 0/4 used
GlitterBomb: 0/0 used
Extend GammaRadiation: 0/0 used
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Staff of Courage: 0/0
0: (create water, detect magic, light, stabilize,read magic)
1: 0/5 used
[ dice]1d20+0[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6-1[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+3+1[/dice] to hit; (+PBS)
[ dice]1d6-1+1[/dice] damage;
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Round 3, Init 22
AC = 15/13/13
HP = 18/18 (-4hp NL)
Weapon Equipped = Shepherd's Crook
Condition(s) = None
AC = 17/15/13
HP = 26/26
Weapon Equipped = Well maintained teeth
Condition(s) = None
Muri tries to take it all in, when the wall produces something that looks like the torso of a man, made of the same wall. Only after Kamari darts forward does the way forward clear in the halfling's mind. Stepping alongside the swordswoman, Muri brings his Crook down on the wall, hoping to chip something, or discourage it from protruding like it's doing. He's not hopeful, as his peripheral vision can outline the dead body nearby.
"What is it?! The voices must have seen it, and hid from it. Must have been what killed that man."
Not told to do anything different, Underfoot pads just behind Muri, hackles raised.
Kamari swings and misses, still finding her footing as her own blood begins to flow. Elen DMPC dances up behind Kamari and attacks over her shoulder in a smooth dextrous arc. Major Kort takes total defense as he waits to see what happens. Mama D discovers that you face the extremely rare walcofinde, NE medium undead. They’re often found where you wall up living servants after constructing a tomb, or other hidden area to keep the secret of its construction secret. Anselm summons another eagle, which swoops down on the opponent scoring a successful bite! Muri tries a different tack, attacking the wall where the creature is attached. While he scores the ancient stone deeply, it does not appear to affect the creature in any way unfortunately.
(cover, flank)
The torso writhes a bit as the eagle’s beak takes out a (admittedly small) chunk from its shoulder. It considers moving to attack Elen, but instead lashes out at the last creature to hit it within reach, the eagle, clawing with both hands, rending flesh from bone and filling the air with blood.
…or not, as it manages to categorically miss.
There’s the slight sound of rustling stone and mortar as another of these creatures emerges from the wall! It takes stock of the situation, and moves in on Mama D and Major Kort though it does not yet attack (double move).
Round 4
The eagle continues it's smiteful slashing!
Meanwhile, Anselm takes out his dagger and slashes at the new opponent, doing his best to Elen's bobbing and weaving. "Get back, Mama D! Major!"
His efforts are slightly better than worthless, partly due to terror and a bit due to never having used a dagger before in this manner.
HP 16 / 2 NL
AC 16
1st level spells 1/3
Summon monster 5/7
CLW wand 22/50
HP: 12/16
AC: 13 (no armor or shield)
Fort +0; Ref +6; Will +4
Initiative +4 (Dex +2, Elven Reflexes +2)
Speed 30
BAB +1
CMB +1
13 CMD (11 Flatfooted)
Rapier +4, 1d6, 17-20x2 (anatomist)(Quick draw, Weapon Finesse, & Weapon Focus for rapier only)
Panache points = 3
Whoa!
Kamari appreciates Elen's assistance as it allows her to regain her focus. This time she stabs true, hoping it will have some effect.
At least it's not a skeleton.